SHILLONG: Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor has expressed concern over 1 lakh gap between number of voters and projected population in Meghalaya.
Addressing media persons after a meeting with representatives of political parties on Tuesday, Kharkongor said the gap in the state is 1,08,318, including 55,025 in East Khasi Hills and 28,999 in Garo Hills division.
In East Khasi Hills, the highest gap between voters and projected population is in Nongkrem constituency with 16,037 followed by 6,608 in Tikrikilla.
The total enrolment stands at 17,68,515 and the Election Department is trying to achieve 18 lakh target.
As Meghalaya is a poll-bound state, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for summary revision from October 30 to November 30 along with certain guidelines to maximise the number of voters and prepare an error-free electoral rolls.
Kharkongor said there will be 3,082 polling stations, including 311 new ones in next year’s polls.
Booth level officers will now use technology to capture the longitude and latitude, besides landmarks and medical facilities at the polling stations to ensure that all booths have minimum facilities.
Dual voters
The Election Department has deleted the names of 24 dual voters in Dadenggre constituency after they were found to have their voting right in Assam as well as in Meghalaya.
Kharkongor said they are in touch with Assam’s chief electoral officer for comparing the electoral rolls of the two states for further deletion of dual voters.
“After the process started in Dadenggre it will be followed up in other districts too,” he added.
Deleting the names of dual voters will be carried out after establishment of facts through documentary proof, the official informed.
The dual voters are found mostly in the districts of Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi and Jaintia Hills bordering Assam and Meghalaya.
According to the CEO, a software is used to ascertain the dual voters.
Millennium voters
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 will turn 18 in 2018.
“It will be a sort of welcoming them into the democratic process of their right to exercise their franchise,” Kharkongor said.
The Election Commission is introducing new software – Suvidha, Samadhan and Sugam – and through these, permissions to hold general meetings and using vehicles during election will be issued online. People can lodge their complaints and suggestions regarding code of conduct for elections using the software.
With regards to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), the Election Department has asked political parties to make their voters aware about the system and the fact that voters will have to wait for 7 seconds to get their confirmation slips.
According to Kharkongor, the state-level complaint managing committee will 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 disable-friendly polling stations, the election official said all booths will have ramps, besides the department is also toying with the idea to have special polling stations at special schools in Shillong as well as in Tura.
When asked about the Rangbah Shnongs who had openly announced supporting particular candidates and political parties, he said the respective deputy commissioners have been asked to inquire into such reports as and when such reports surface.
Kharkongor also said the deputy commissioner of East Jaintia Hills has been asked to take up the matter with Huroi village head which has threatened to boycott the upcoming polls unless their demands are met by the state government.
