ECI bans exit polls till Monday; silence period kicks in today

SHILLONG, Feb 24: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has banned exit polls in Meghalaya from 7 am on Friday to 7 pm on February 27, the day of polling.
Besides, the ECI has declared that no campaigning is allowed from 4 pm on Saturday, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said.
“As per ECI protocols, exit polls are banned in the state from 7 am on February 24 till 7 pm on February 27. The silence period for campaigning will begin from 4 pm tomorrow (February 25),” Kharkongor told PTI.
According to the CEO, of the 3,419 polling booths in Meghalaya, 640 are identified as ‘vulnerable’, 323 are ‘critical’ and 84 are both.
As many as 119 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed across the state ahead of the assembly elections.
A total of 53 observers – 20 general observers, 21 expenditure observers and 12 police observers – are on the job to ensure that the elections are free, fair and peaceful, the CEO said.
State border to be sealed
To ensure free and fair assembly elections in Meghalaya, the Election Commission has ordered the sealing of the Indo-Bangladesh border in the state till March 2, the CEO said. The poll panel has also ordered the sealing of the inter-state border with Assam till March 2, he said.
“All districts having the international border with Bangladesh have been asked to issue orders to seal and movement of people in the border areas would be restricted,” Kharkongor told PTI.
The operation of border haats has also been deferred till the completion of the election process.
“If the unregulated movement of individuals between the two countries is allowed, there is a likelihood of law and order problems, leading to danger to human life and disturbance to public tranquility,” the CEO said. (PTI)