TURA, Oct 30: The constituency of Rajabala in West Garo Hills has registered a high polling percentage of 90.63%, which is the highest among the three assembly seats that went for by-polls on Saturday, while the two others in East Khasi Hills district- Mawphlang and Mawryngkneng registered 75.97% and 74.69%.
No untoward incidents of any group clash, threat or intimidation were reported from this politically sensitive constituency in the plain belt area of Garo Hills, even as security forces composed of state and central paramilitary, that included the CRPF and BSF, remained on high alert all through the day.
Although the polling percentage for Rajabala is the highest in comparison to the other two seats that went into voting, yet, it still falls short of the previous state election result by almost three percent.
In 2018 the polling percentage for Rajabala stood at 93.46 percent with as many as 27,188 voters casting their franchise.
However, election officials are optimistic the number will rise further and possibly touch the previous record.
“As of now the percentage is 90.63 which we expect to rise further once all polling parties provide their data. Some polling parties are still on their way and have not been able to give their final figure,” informed District Election Officer and deputy commissioner Ram Singh.
Among the 58 polling stations, that included 17 auxiliary polling stations, the highest polling percentage was recorded from Garodubi polling station that witnessed a massive turnout of 97.41 percent voting.
Garodubi is the very same village where clashes broke out between Congress and NPP on the last day of campaigning resulting in stone pelting and damage to the home of the headman, Hasan Ali, who was a supporter and worker of the NPP.
The village had four polling stations with each one registering above the 90 mark in polling. But one particular station took the cake when 640 female voters out of 657 registered voters cast their ballot putting the station on the pedestal with 97.41 polling.
Interestingly, while the highest voting was recorded from the minority dominated plain belt region, the lowest voter turnout was in some polling stations located in the tribal dominated hills, in particular Masangpani 78.11% and Chokchokia 79.07%.
There are as many as 13,000 voters in the hill region and a sizeable number had previously backed Ashahel D Shira, the current UDP candidate. It remains to be seen if the low turnout will dent Shira’s prospects in this election or that of either the Congress or the NPP.