Tura by-poll: Overall turnout percentage 77.66

SHILLONG:  With the polling process completed to elect the successor of Purno A Sangma from Tura on Monday, the focus now shifts to counting of votes to be taken up on May 19.
All preparations for counting of votes have been completed, Election Commission sources said here on Tuesday.
The overall voting percentage in the by-poll held on Monday is 77.66.
There is a slight increase in the percentage of female voters (77.83) compared to their male counterparts (77.48).
Informing this here on Tuesday, the Chief Electoral officer FR Kharkongor informed that the administration would set up counting centres  at Williamngar,  Baghmara, Resubelpara, Tura and Ampati.
Two companies of central para-military forces would be deployed on the counting day and all the counting centres will be under the surveillance of CCTV cameras, he said.
According to Kharkongor, the winning candidate has to take permission from the Deputy Commissioner for holding victory procession.
In 2014 Lok Sabha poll the voting percentage was 78.14. In 2009, the percentage was only 67.68
This time, Williamnagar Assembly segment recorded the lowest turnout  (67.79 percent),  while Mahendraganj recorded the highest (84.32 percent).
While Williamnagar is the constituency of  Congress Minister Deborah Marak,  Mahendraganj is represented by Dikkanchi Shira, who is the Congress candidate for Tura by poll.
The plain belt of Garo Hills witnessed over 80 percent turnout.
West Garo Hills district as a whole recorded a turn-out of 78.16 percent, while South West Garo Hills witnessed had 83.74 percent. The Ampati Assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma saw a turn- out of 83.26 percent.