Lok Sabha elections from April 19; results on June 4
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 16: The Lok Sabha elections in the state’s two seats – Shillong and Tura — will be held in the first phase on April 19.
The Election Commission on Saturday announced the schedule of the country-wide seven-phase polls.
The notification for elections in Meghalaya will be issued on March 20. The last day for filing of nominations is March 27. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 28 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 30. The counting of votes will take place across states on June 4.
Meghalaya has 22,17,100 voters, including 10,94,947 males, 11,22,150 females and three from third gender as per the special summary revision till January 5, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) BDR Tiwari told media persons.
The EP (electoral population) ratio in 2024 stands at 646 compared to 507 in 2018. Similarly, the gender ratio in 2024 is 1,025 compared to 1,019 in 2018.
There will be altogether 3,835 service voters, 11,179 PwD (persons with disabilities) voters, 23,793 voters in the age group of above 80 and 10,345 in the 85 years and above category. There are five NRI electorates.
According to Tiwari, the state will have 3,512 polling stations, including 326 in urban and 3,186 in rural areas. The average number of electors in each polling station is 631.
There will be 60 all-woman polling stations, 37 youth-managed polling stations and 60 model polling stations.
As far as electronic voting machines are concerned, there are 5,873 ballot units, 7,181 control units and 5,790 VVPATS for polling in the two constituencies.
The CEO assured violence-free and transparent elections.
He said a model code of conduct committee will deal with the issue of hate speeches by politicians.
On the distribution of freebies, liquor and money during polls, he said the ways to deal with the issue have been worked out by the police and other agencies. He said there is a software where all agencies have to give their reports on time.
Tiwari said now that the model code of conduct has come into force, no new announcement of schemes and projects will be allowed.
The work of ongoing projects will continue, he added.
Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases beginning from April 19 and results will be announced on June 4, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday.
The other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13.
Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Bypolls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies, Kumar said at a press conference flanked by two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (With PTI)