TURA: Polling for the Tura Lok Sabha seat came to a close at 4 PM on Thursday with election officials informing that the final figure of poll percentage could touch as high as eighty percent once the final figure from all polling stations are taken into account.
Polling was peaceful across the five districts of Garo Hills with no untoward incidents having been reported from any of the polling stations where voters queued up to cast their ballot on Thursday morning.
Tura Lok Sabha seat consists of 24 assembly segments.
“Polling percentage has touched 70 percent and it will rise further because we are yet to get reports from many remote polling stations,” informed Returning Officer Ram Singh in Tura as preparations were afoot to receive the sealed EVMs and VVPATs being brought in by the polling parties from different parts of Garo Hills.
EVM and VVPAT glitches were reported from several polling stations in different districts but election officials say that it happened primarily when polling began and were able to be replaced quickly.
Among the five districts that went to polls for Tura Lok Sabha constituency, early reports indicate that there was a high voter turnout in South West Garo Hills district which consists of three MLA seats.
“Polling percentage touched 77 percent and it may rise another ten percent because many polling parties have not been able to give their voting figures,” informed deputy commissioner Ram Kumar S from district headquarters Ampati.
Preliminary reports mention that Ampati assembly segment reported 81.74%, Mahendraganj 64.17% and Salmanpara 85.99%.
He informed that at several polling stations voting was still taking place due to the high turnout in the afternoon. “Some polling stations like Chigatchakgre, Tarapara and others polling was still taking place after 4 PM,” said the deputy commissioner.
It is worth mentioning that voters who stand in line before the 4 PM deadline are eligible to cast their vote.
West Garo Hills which consists of the largest number of assembly seats, eleven in total, also registered high turnout. Early reports from Returning Officer Ram Singh mention 70% which could rise further once all polling teams return.
There were high voter turnouts in the twin constituencies of South and north Tura during the early morning hours and late afternoon. Polling stations like Pechon Memorial School in the heard of Tura town’s main market area witnessed long queues in the morning hours while even at rural Rengsangre polling station under Rongram block as many as 402 out of 522 voters had already cast their ballot by 1 O’clock in the afternoon.
In East Garo Hills district (3 constituencies), early reports state Songsak had crossed 60 percent, Rongjeng 55% and Williamnagar 52%.
“These are all tentative figures because we are yet to get the final percentage which will rise further,” said deputy commissioner Swapnil Thembe from Williamnagar.
South Garo Hills district was the most difficult for polling reports to trickle in due to its remoteness and vast jungle region. Election officials revealed that due to its remoteness dozens of polling stations were unable to send back word during the day to the district headquarters.
“We initially received news of only 35 percent polling but that is slowly changing and we expect the final figure to cross the 60 percent mark,” informed election officials from Baghmara.
Reports from North Garo Hills district that has four assembly segments also mention of good voting percentage that is likely to cross the 70% mark.
Election officials are confident that the final figure will be made available by late Thursday night itself.