SHILLONG: Re-polling at a booth in Selsella Assembly constituency is likely to be held on Saturday following a mix-up of EVMs used for the Lok Sabha election and the by-poll.
Simultaneous elections were held for Tura Lok Sabha and Selsella seats on Thursday.
The Election Department has urged the Election Commission of India for re-polling at Konachar polling station in Selsella constituency.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said re-polling was recommended since there was a mismatch in the EVMs due to human error.
There were two EVMs in the booth and the presiding officer there connected the ballot unit meant for Lok Sabha election with the control unit of the by-poll and the control unit for the Lok Sabha seat was connected with the ballot unit for the by-poll.
He said the information pertaining to the mismatch of the EMVs was reported at midnight.
In the polling which was held on Thursday, 668 voters exercised their franchise at Konachar polling station for Lok Sabha election while 674 voters voted in the by-election.
There are altogether 712 voters in the particular polling station.
The Election Department is currently awaiting a final word from the ECI for conducting re-poll.
Mock poll data not cleared
Kharkongor said the poll officers failed to clear mock poll data of the EVMs at two polling stations under Shillong parliamentary constituency and four under Tura seat.
Prior to the election starting from 7 am, the poll officials carry out mock poll for 50 votes to ensure that there is no technical snag in the machines when the actual polling starts.
Kharkongor said the affected polling booths are Khlieh Riagnah in West Jaintia Hills and Nongpyndong in West Khasi Hills.
The polling booths in Garo Hills where mock poll data was not cleared are Possengagre, Tochapara and Aminda Simsang under Gambegre Assembly constituency in West Garo Hills and Dawagitingre in Williamnagar, East Garo Hills.
“We sought approval from the Election Commission to count the VVPAT slips of these polling stations on the counting day,” Kharkongor said.
