SHILLONG: Fifty-two out of the 60 legislators (86.6 per cent) in the State voted on Monday to elect the 14th President of India.
Immediately after the polling began at 10am on Monday, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, Cabinet Ministers Sniawbhalang Dhar, Zenith Sangma, Deborah Marak and HDR Lyngdoh, besides senior leaders DD Lapang and Salseng C Marak, cast their votes.
However, PWD (Roads) Minister MM Danggo and independent MLA from Khliehriat Justine Dkhar skipped polling owing to personal problems. UDP’s Brolding Nongsiej was also among the absentees.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor and assistant returning officer Andrew Simons said Danggo, who is ill had intimated to the authorities about his inability to cast vote.
Nongsiej and Dkhar did not cite any reason but they are out of station.

Mawhati MLA Julius Dorphang, who is currently in custody, also did not take part in the voting. HSPDP MLAs had already decided to boycott the polls.
Speaking to media persons, the chief minister said the decision of each member of the Electoral College “will indicate their endorsement of agendas of the two groups which are contesting the presidential polls”.
HSPDP decision ‘rejection of BJP’
When asked about the decision of HSPDP to skip the polls, Sangma said may be the MLAs wanted to tell people that they don’t endorse the agenda of RSS and BJP.
“Rather than that, they should have said they would firmly stand by those whose principles and ideologies have enabled the vibrant democracy of ours to withstand the test of time. I would have loved to see that,” he added.
HSPDP has four MLAs.
Former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar are in the race for Raisina Hills.
The ballot box has been kept in a strong room of the Assembly in Rilbong guarded by the security personnel.
Anti-sabotage and fire safety measures have been taken by the authorities.
The box will be taken to Guwahati on Tuesday morning and from there to Delhi on an Air India flight. A separate seat was reserved for the ballot box.
Two officials from the Assembly and an official from the Election Department will accompany the ballot box that will be taken to Parliament House from Delhi airport.

PREZ POLL ABSENTEES

Ardent Basaiawmoit (HSPDP): Boycotted pollArdent Basaiawmoit (HSPDP): Boycotted pollDiosstarness Jyndiang (HSPDP): Boycotted pollKP Pangniang (HSPDP): Boycotted pollWitting Mawsor (HSPDP): Boycotted pollMartin Danggo (Congress): HospitalisedBrolding Nongsiej (UDP): No reason citedJustine Dkhar (Ind): No reason citedJulius Dorphang (Ind): In jail

Poll snippets

Ampareen brings Baby Kyra

Ampareen brings Baby KyraMinister of PWD (Building) Ampareen Lyngdoh took  her eight-month-old baby Kyra Lyngdoh to the Assembly during voting for the presidential elections. Some of her colleagues – Dikkanchi D Shira, Deputy Chief Minister Roytre C Laloo, Zenith M Sangma and Bluebell Sangma – were seen taking photographs of the baby while Assembly Speaker AT Mondal touched the baby’s cheeks affectionately. The minister was accompanied by her domestic help who held the baby outside the polling booth room when Lyngdoh went in to cast her vote.

First and last

The first to vote in the presidential election was CelThe first to vote in the presidential election was Cel estine Lyngdoh and James Sangma who are the authorised representatives of both the UPA and the NDA candidates. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma voted around 10.45 am. Majority of the legislators voted in the first hour. The last one to vote was KHADC CEM and suspended Congress member PN Syiem.

Special pen returned

After the use of the special pen by the legislators, After the use of the special pen by the legislators,  they were returned to the election authorities here in Shillong. The pens will be taken back to Delhi along with the ballot box and the used ballot papers as per the instruction of the Election Commission.