Shillong, Jan 13: The full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar has visited Shillong to take stock of the preparedness for the upcoming Assembly election in the state.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar today told media persons that total 21,61,729 voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the state Assembly polls. The number of males voters in the state is 10,68,801 and that of female voters is 10,92,326.
The state has 7478 voters in the category of person with disabilities (PwD), 290 centenarian voters and 22658 voters aged 80 years and above. There are 81,443 first-time voters in the state.
During their visit to the state, the Commission held meetings with political parties and different agencies of the Government as part of its efforts to ensure a peaceful and inducement-free polls.
Rajiv Kumar said that different initiatives like model polling stations, women-in-command polling stations, youth-managed polling stations, green polling stations would also be taken to make the election a smooth sailing.
The total number of polling stations will be 3482 including 325 in urban areas and 3157 in rural areas. There will be 60 model polling stations to be set up in tune with the spirit of green election while in 120 polling stations only women polling officials will be in command. The state has 74 non-motorable polling stations and two riverine polling stations.
It was also informed that different technological innovations like voter help line, C vigil app would also be used for fair polls. The Election Commission has also adopted a robust mechanism for inducement free elections and different agencies would work in coordination and even mapping of expenditure sensitive constituencies would be done.