Filing of nominations from Monday, counting on October 24
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Shella will be the first constituency in the state to go for a green election on October 21.
The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the bypoll for Shella on October 21 and the counting of votes will be held on October 24. The model code of conduct has come into effect from Saturday.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting Shella MLA Donkupar Roy on July 28.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said the election department is targeting a green election this time for Shella.
He said the plan is to set up eco-friendly polling stations.
“We will replace all plastic with eco-friendly materials. Seed pens will be used by the election officials and there will be symbolic planting of democracy tree before polling in all the 58 polling stations”, Kharkongor said.
The chief electoral officer said cloth instead of plastic flex, eco-friendly bamboo and cane materials instead of plastics will be used in the polling stations.
“We hope to have green poll volunteers at polling stations to amplify the message and join hands for a green election”, the chief electoral officer said.
He also urged the political parties to use plastic-free materials during their campaigns.
According to the Election Commission of India, the notification will be issued on September 23 which means that filing of nominations will start on the same day. The last day for filing nominations is on September 30 and scrutiny will be held on October 1.
The last day for withdrawal of nominations will be on October 3.
Constituency profile
There are as many as 29,542 electors in Shella- 14,698 male and 14,844 female. Dalia polling station has the highest number of voters with 961 and the lowest with 118 is in Laitduh.
Among the 58 polling stations, there are 12 polling booths which cannot be reached by vehicles, including the famed Nongriat double-decker living root bridge. Kalatek polling station is accessible only by boat.
There are 11 polling stations located within one km of the international border.
The polling parties under ten polling stations will have to travel through Pynursla to reach the destination and not via Sohra.
The turnout in the assembly segment in 2019 for Lok Sabha polls was 66.53 per cent and in the Assembly polls in 2018, the voting percentage was 86.40.