SHILLONG/TURA: Meghalaya will elect their representatives from Shillong-Tura Parliamentary seats and Selsella Assembly seat on Thursday.
Polling time is from 7 am to 4 pm.
The stage is set and the battle lines are drawn as more than 19 lakh electorate in Meghalaya will exercise their right to franchise to choose their MPs to represent Shillong and Tura.
The by-poll to Selsella is due to the demise of Congress MLA Clement Marak, who represented the constituency.
Two EVMs will be kept for the voters at polling stations under Selsella to cast their votes for candidates of Tura Parliamentary seat and Selsella. In Shillong, there are as many as six candidates, including those from Congress, UDP and BJP. Tura seat is heading for a three-cornered battle between Congress, NPP and BJP.
The six candidates from Shillong seat are sitting MP Vincent H Pala (Congress), Jemino Mawthoh (UDP), who is also a common candidate of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, Sanbor Shullai (BJP) and Independents Romeo Phira Rani, THS Bonney and Samuel Hashah.
On the other hand former chief minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress will contest against National People’s Party candidate and former Union Minister Agatha Sangma and BJP’s Rikman G Momin in Tura seat.
Talking about the arrangements for the biggest festival of democracy, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor informed that there are more than 19.14 lakh electorate and a significant number of them are youths. “Our objective is to engage and connect with the youths,” he said.
Stating that the Election Commission has done everything within its capacity to create awareness, he added that road shows were organised covering all the 3,167 polling stations across the length and breadth of the state.
The total electorate in Meghalaya for 2019 has gone up to 19,14,795 from 18,92,716 at the time of the final publication of the electoral roll.
The total number of voters in Shillong parliamentary constituency is 11,97,806, including 5,86,092 male and 6,11,714 voters.
Under Shillong seat, there are 2,053 polling stations and under Tura, there are 1,114 polling stations.
In this election, it will be for the first-time that the Election Commission will be deploying poll volunteers (Matdan mitras) from Bharat Scouts and Guides and other groups who would be assisting the aged, infirm and PwD voters.
On security arrangement, Kharkongor informed that altogether there are 40 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) followed by 9,000 state police and more than 1,700 home guards who will be deployed during the election process.
Stating that the critical and vulnerable polling stations would be covered by CAPF, he added that there will be around 300 polling stations which will have the facility of webcasting.
In addition, CCTV cameras will also be installed. Many polling stations will have micro observers.
Admitting that there are some pockets in Shillong city, coal-rich belt and some areas of Garo Hills which are a cause for concern as far as security is concerned, he, however, added that elaborate security arrangements would be made to ensure a smooth and peaceful voting.
Medals for early voters
Like previous elections, the first five voters in every polling station would be given election medals and there would be selfie zones in about 60 model polling stations where voters after getting inked can click pictures and upload their photos in the social media.
Some restaurants in the city are also providing snacks for early voters.
In model polling stations, people would also get takeaways and souvenirs and there would be waiting sheds as well.
The Election Commission is also using queue management system for the urban voters to see the number of voters in the queue so that they can go for voting at a time when there is less crowd in the queue.
Selected poll stations and some model booths will have crèche facility and there will be 60 all-woman booths.
As part of the polling official welfare initiative, free BP and sugar check-up will be organised at the receiving centre at Nongstoin tomorrow from 5pm to 6am the next morning. Polling officials can avail the facility during delivery of election materials.
In Garo Hills, voters from altogether 24 constituencies will be casting their votes to elect their representative for the Tura Lok Sabha seat. There are a total of 1,114 polling stations in Garo Hills with Williamnagar having the highest number at 62, while Dalu has the lowest number of polling stations with just 31.
In Tura, there are 7,16,989 voters including 3,63,529 male and 3,53,460 female voters.
There are 1280 service voters and 2 NRI voters. Two women voters, Monica Cheran Momin under Tura Assembly segment and Khadija Hussain under Phulbari Assembly constituency are the two NRIs.
Kharkutta has the highest number of voters in Garo Hills at 38,202 while Dalu has the lowest with just 19,399 voters.
For the Assembly by-poll in Selsella, former MLA, Clement Marak’s widow, June Eliana R Marak (Congress) is contesting in an effort to retain her late husband’s seat. June Eliana, who is a new entrant will be up against NPP’s Ferline Sangma, BJP’s Adorsho Sangma and UDP’s Sayeedullah Nongrum.
Parties confident
After planning, strategizing and campaigning, the political parties are confident of victories of their candidates.
In the last 15 days or so, political parties and candidates have tried their best to impress upon the people on why their candidates should be sent to the Lok Sabha from Shillong and Tura seats.
BJP central leader Nalin Kohli, Congress legislator PT Sawkmie and NPP state president WR Kharlukhi, besides the independent candidates, for Shillong seat are optimistic about a positive outcome in the elections.
ELECTIONS FACTFILEELECTIONS FACTFILE
Total voters in state: 19,14,795Total voters for Shillong: 11,97,806Male: 5,86,092Female: 6,11,714Biggest constituency: Mawlai (43,754 voters)Smallest constituency: Laitumkhrah (24,375)Total voters for Tura: 7,16,989Male: 3,63,529Female: 3,53,460Biggest constituency: Kharkutta (38,053)Smallest constituency: Dalu (19,228)
Selsella by-pollSelsella by-pollTotal voters: 31,717Male voters: 15,813Female voters: 15,904
Total polling stations: 3167Total polling stations: 3167Poling personnel deployed: 12,668 Vulnerable polling stations: 700Critical polling stations: 249Vulnerable/ Critical: 68Foot march polling stations: 106 Polling stations bordering Assam: 177Polling stations bordering B’desh: 114