SHILLONG: With the difficult and inaccessible terrain in the remote Ranikor area, the Election Department will engage runners to transmit messages during the August 23 by-poll.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor, who completed his visit to both Mawkyrwat and Ranikor, told The Shillong Times on Thursday that runners will be substitutes for technology during the by-poll.
There are many capable runners in South West Khasi Hills who take part in various competitions.
“Runners will be deployed in polling stations which are non-motorable to transmit important messages between polling stations and sector officials and in turn to returning officer and the deputy commissioner,” he said.
There are at least five non-motorable polling stations in Ranikor.
While the walking distance to Nongmalang is two hours, it takes three hours to reach Amarsang, one hour to Pormawdar, 30 minutes to Mawlongbah and 15 minutes to Myriaw.
Kharkongor said extra set of EVMs and one sector officer will exclusively look after the non-motorable polling stations located in the challenging terrain and which have connectivity issues.
Both road commutation and mobile connectivity are poor in the constituency.
In addition to runners, the Police Department will equip the teams with VHF radio sets and set up additional repeater stations for transmission of important updates and messages via wireless transmission.
Rock graffiti
Kharkongor also said in the remote South West Khasi Hills, where communication challenges exist, instead of hoardings, ‘rock graffiti’ is used to create awareness among voters.
