SHILLONG, Oct 7: More than one lakh voters will be exercising their franchise in the bye-elections to three Assembly constituencies on October 30.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Frederick R. Kharkongor informed The Shillong Times on Thursday that a total of 1,02,695 voters will be casting their votes. The female voters outnumber the male voters in all three seats, he said.
There are 53,106 female voters and 49,589 male voters across these constituencies.
Of the total of 33,194 voters in Mawphlang constituency, 17,475 are females and 15,719 are males. Similarly, 18,986 of Mawryngkneng’s 36,751 voters are females and 17,765 are males while 16,645 of Rajabala’s 32,750 voters are females and 16,105 are males.
The CEO said the preparations for the bye-elections are progressing smoothly.
“We have sought four additional companies of CRPF during a review meeting with the Election Commission on Tuesday. The Home department has also made a similar request to the Ministry of Home Affairs for the bypolls,” he said.
According to Kharkongor, the identification of sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling stations is still being done and the deputy commissioners along with the district police are finalising the security plans. The inspection of the polling stations is still on, he said.
“We have acquired more than 50% of the EVMs that are required in all the three constituencies,” Kharkongor said.
He said there are 54 main polling stations with six auxiliary polling stations for
Mawryngkneng but there are no auxiliary polling booths to the 50 main ones for Mawphlang. There are 41 main polling stations and 17 auxiliary polling stations for the Rajabala seat.
“We have created the auxiliary polling stations to reduce the rush and ensure strict compliance of the Covid-19 protocol,” Kharkongor said.
He further said the Election Commission has issued directions that election rallies and campaigns should not continue beyond 7 pm.
Asked if it is mandatory for all poll contestants to be vaccinated, the CEO said the deputy commissioners have already convened a meeting to urge the political parties to put up vaccinated candidates.
“But we cannot force them as well as the voters. We can only request,” Kharkongor said.
The CEO also clarified that the onus of the COVID-19 vaccination is on the state government.
Kharkongor said the Election Commission will provide masks and sanitisers to ensure the primary safety of polling officers, voters, police personnel and election volunteers.
