SHILLONG/ TURA: As many as 374 candidates are in the fray for the February 27 Assembly elections following the rejection of three nominations after scrutiny on Thursday.
There was huge gathering of people, including those from rural areas, outside the offices of returning officers in all the districts during the scrutiny.
There were altogether 443 nominations from the candidates of various political parties. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is on February 12.
While there were no rejections in Khasi Hills region, three candidates in Garo Hills were rejected during scrutiny of their nomination papers while all the 24 sitting legislators from the region cleared the test.
The candidates whose names were rejected were aspiring to contest from Rajabala and Selsella in West Garo Hills and Mahendraganj in South West Garo Hills.
The candidate of the North East India Development Party (NEIDP), Arelitha K Sangma, failed the scrutiny test for Selsella as she did not have 10 proposers for her candidature, which is mandatory when contesting from a non-recognised party.
Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party candidate for Rajabala constituency, Milson Sangma, also lost his candidature because he failed to introduce 10 proposers.
Both Arelitha and Milson were able to introduce only one proposer for their names.
Meanwhile, in South West Garo Hills, the candidature of another NEIDP candidate, Serazul H Kharkongor, was rejected as he had been disqualified after the Assembly elections in 2013.
Kharkongor had unsuccessfully contested the previous state elections in 2013 from Tikrikilla constituency and failed to provide his expenditure accounts to the Election Commission of India.
There was no rejection of candidates in the constituencies of East, North and South Garo Hills districts.
All the 36 candidates in East and West Jaintia Hills also cleared the scrutiny.
