State ready for free, fair, and transparent polls: CEO
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 3: Campaigning for the April 19 Lok Sabha election has gained momentum in the state.
Some candidates are seen serving tea to voters, some are actively campaigning on social media while a few others are trying to woo voters through songs.
Among the most active candidates, the NPP’s Ampareen Lyngdoh has been covering miles in areas under the Shillong constituency every day. Often with her cabinet colleagues in tow, she was recently spotted serving tea to the people.
Her Congress rival and sitting MP, Vincent H Pala has been holding meetings on not as grand a scale as the NPP. Many party leaders have been accompanying him.
VPP candidate Ricky AJ Syngkon is also leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to the voters. A staple of its programmes is the party song ‘Ha U Prah’.
VPP president Ardent M Basaiawmoit is Syngkon’s star campaigner.
Teams of the Election Department have also stepped up checking at strategic places throughout the state. They have so far seized cash, drugs, and liquor worth more than Rs 37 crore.
Chief Electoral Officer, BDR Tiwari on Wednesday said the seizure was worth Rs 33.45 crore before the model code of conduct came into effect and Rs 4.06 crore after.
Officials of the Election Department held a meeting with those of the Election Commission of India to review the preparedness of the Lok Sabha elections and no issues were found in Meghalaya.
“The state is ready for a free, fair, and transparent elections,” he said.
Informing journalists that a meeting was also held with Assam at the level of the Chief Secretary, Tiwari said there are 187 polling stations located near the border with Assam and 140 polling stations along the border with Bangladesh.
In addition, there are 164 polling stations where Meghalaya personnel and voters would have to move through Assam and these issues were discussed at length with the neighbouring state, he said.
Both states are coordinating with each other to ensure peaceful polls in the sensitive areas and are also conducting joint patrolling, he added.
Tiwari further said all law-and-order issues are being taken care of according to the prescribed rules.
East Khasi Hills District has been tense following the death of two people at Ichamati recently.