TURA: Ampati has voted with a voter turnout of approximately 90.42 percent on a day when allegations and counter allegations, between the Congress and the NPP, about use of money and muscle power were flung in abundance.
The turnout is slightly less than the February general elections where the final turnout was 90.70 percent. However, Returning Officer for Ampati By-election, D D Shira, has not ruled out the percentage rising slightly as several of the polling parties are yet to return with the final figure.
Congress candidate Miani D Shira lodged a complaint with the Returning Officer for Ampati accusing the NPP of distributing money as well as intimidating voters in certain villagers after polling began in the morning. She charged rebel Congress MDC who defected to the NPP of trying to buy votes and also accused the NPP MLA from Raksamgre of assaulting a village headman and intimidating voters.
The NPP has also leveled similar allegations on the Congress with its youth leader Ian Botham K Sangma lodging an FIR accusing Mukul Sangma of violating the model code of conduct and threatening voters of Bollonggitok village to vote in favour of the Congress.
Miani Shira in her complaint to the returning officer on voting day alleged that MDC Nripendra Koch was distributing money to voters in Samatigaon and two other villages.
Her complaint also accused Raksamgre NPP MLA Benedict Marak of assaulting the Nokma (village headman) of Thakuranbari and intimidating voters of Rongramgre. The nokma, Minondro Arengh has also filed a separate police FIR at Monabari police outpost accusing the NPP legislator of attacking him.
Another block Congress leader has filed a counter FIR against NPP youth leader Ian Bothan K Sangma over the latter’s complaint against Mukul Sangma.
While Ian Bothan had charged the former chief minister of intimidating voters as well as bribing them in Bollonggitok village after campaign had closed, a block Congress leader has lodged the police FIR questioning the presence of Bothan inside Ampati constituency where he is not a registered voter.
Despite the two parties sparring on allegations of bribary and intimidation, no untoward incidents were reported from any of the 39 polling stations where voters queued up to cast their precious ballot on Monday.
Election officials inform that one Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine malfunctioned in one polling station which was immediately replaced.
Among the many polling stations that witnessed staggeringly high voter turnout, Thakuranbari and Jelbongpara with 96 percent each stood out.
There were others, such as Godalgre 92%, Rangsa Abanggre 92%, Chodonpara 93%, Kongpara 85%,