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Election Department holds meeting with political parties on poll preparedness

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SHILLONG: Setting the ball rolling for the upcoming 2018 Assembly polls, the Election Department on Tuesday met political parties of the state to discuss about the preparedness for the polls.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Chief Electoral Officer, F R Kharkongor, informed that there will be 3082 polling stations in the state including 311 new polling stations in the upcoming polls.

Expressing concerns about the gaps between the projected population and the number of voters, Kharkongor informed that the gap in the state was 108318 including   55025 in East Khasi hills and  28999  in Garo Hills division

In East Khasi Hills, the highest gap between the voters and projected population is in Nongkrem constituency with a gap of 16037 followed by 6608 in Tikrikilla constituency.

According to Kharkongor, the total   enrolment of voters in the state stands at 17,68,515 and they are trying to touch a figure of 18 lakhs.

As Meghalaya is a poll-bound state, the Election Commission has   extended the summary revision from October 30 to November 30 along with certain guidelines of maximizing the number of voters and preparing an error-free electoral rolls.

In addition, the booth level officer now will also use technology to capture the longitude and latitude besides landmarks and medical facilities at the polling stations to ensure that all the polling stations have assured minimum facilities.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission is also coming out with a new concept of   millennium voters and people who were born on January 1, 2000 will be felicitated during the National Voters Day as they would turn 18 years in the year 2018.

“It would be as sort of welcoming them into the democratic process of their right to exercise their franchise,” Kharkongor added.

The Election Commission is now also coming up with three new softwares of Suvidha, Samadhan and Sugam and through these softwares, permissions to hold general meetings, permissions for using vehicles during election will be issued online and even people can lodge their complaints   and suggestions regarding code of conduct for elections.

With regards to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), the Election Department has asked the political parties to make their voters aware about the VVPAT and the fact that voters would have to wait for 7 seconds to get their confirmation slip.

According to Kharkongor, the State Level Complaint Managing committee would also be formed.

Stating that the final date for publication of electoral rolls is January 10, 2018, Kharkongor also informed that there are 567 vulnerable and 550 critical polling stations as per preliminary report and the numbers can change.

On being asked about a disabled-friendly polling stations, he said that all the polling stations would have ramps besides the department is also toying with the idea to have special polling stations in specials schools in Shillong as well as in Tura.

When asked about the certain Rangbah Shnongs openly announcing of support to a particular candidate and political party, he said that the respective Deputy Commissioners had been asked to inquire into such reports as and when such reports surfaced.

Kharkongor also informed that the Deputy Commissioner in East Jaintia Hills have been asked to take up the matter with Huroi village in East Jaintia Hills   which has threatened to boycott the upcoming polls unless their demands are met by the state government.

The Election department, meanwhile, has deleted the name 24 dual voters in Daddengre constituency from the electoral roll of Meghalaya after they were found to have their voting right in Assam as well as in Meghalaya.

 

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