ADC POLLS
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 20: The fate of as many as 272 candidates will be decided on Friday as over 13 lakh voters are set to exercise their franchise in the district council elections on Friday. The counting of votes will take place on February 24.
A total number of 158 candidates, including 12 women, are contesting in the KHADC polls while 114 candidates including 12 women candidates will fight it out in the JHADC election. The urban areas in Khasi and Jaintia Hills saw low-key campaigning as compared to the rural pockets.
There are 1,669 polling stations in the KHADC with around 110 being tagged as sensitive. Ninety-five of the 477 polling stations in the JHADC have been declared as sensitive.
With 49,841 voters, Mawlai is the biggest constituency in the KHADC while Jaiaw with 17,148 voters is the smallest constituency. The total number of voters in the KHADC is 9,96,518.
With 14,167 voters, Muthlong-Sohkymphor is the biggest constituency in the JHADC. The smallest constituency is Sumer with 8,305 voters. The total number of voters in the JHADC is around 3,12,300.
The Voice of the People Party (VPP), National People’s Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), Congress and Independents are among the contenders.
The results will prove whether the NPP, which heads the MDA coalition in the state, has been able to beat the anti-incumbency wave in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
However, a victory for the VPP will be a massive setback for the NPP and its allies in the ruling coalition.
If the outcome goes in favour of the Congress, it will signal the party’s resurgence in Meghalaya.
Among the prominent candidates in KHADC are NPP’s Pyniaid Sing Syiem and Lamphrang Blah, Congress’s Pynshngain N Syiem, and UDP’s Titosstarwell Chyne.
The prominent women candidates include NPP sitting MDCs, Grace Mary Kharpuri and Macdalyne Sawkmie Mawlong.
Four sitting MLAs – three from UDP and one from NPP – are also contesting the elections. The three UDP MLAs are Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah (Nongspung-Sohiong) and Pius Marwein (Langrin).
The sitting NPP MLA is Sosthenes Sohtun.
As many as 11 sitting MDCs are in the fray including five from the NPP. They are Batskhem Ryntathiang, Carness Sohshang, Fantin J Lakadong, Alvin K Sawkmie and Rangkynsai Kharbuki.
The three sitting UDP MDCs include Jambor War, Balajied Ranee and Mitchell Wankhar. The other sitting MDCs in the fray are Victor Ranee (Congress) from Jirang and two Independent MDCs, Lambor Malngiang and Teibor Pathaw.
Some former MLAs are also contesting. They are George B Lyngdoh (Independent) from Umroi, Process T Sawkmie (Independent) from Mawlai, Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang (NPP) from Rambrai-Jyrngam and Samlin Malngiang (NPP) from Sohiong-Nongspung. The former MDCs in poll fray are James Sylliang (UDP) and James Ban Basaiawmoit (UDP).
There are ten MDCs in the KHADC who decided not to seek re-election. Two of them Latiplang Kharkongor and Teinwell Dkhar, both former CEMs, have passed away.
The eight sitting MDCs who are not seeking re-election include Congress MLA Ronnie V Lyngdoh (Mylliem), UDP MLA Paul Lyngdoh (Jaiaw), NPP MLAs Charles Marngar (Mawhati), Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin), Martle Mukhim (Mawkynrew), Gigur Myrthong (Mawshynrut), Bajop Pyngrope (Rambrai-Jyrngam) and Sherborlang Mawlong (Sohiong).
In JHADC, the prominent candidates include former CEM and VPP candidate, Awhai Andrew Shullai who is taking on UDP’s Marki Mulieh from Jowai North and incumbent CEM and NPP candidate, Thombor Shiwat who is locked in a direct contest with VPP candidate, Chanbor Rymbai from Moodop-Umladang.
The other prominent candidate includes JSU general secretary, Treiborlang R Suchen from War-West, former CEM and Congress candidate, Madonbai Rymbai from Amwi-Khliehtyrshi and former CEM and Independent candidate, Moonlight Pariat from Jowai South.
The contest in the JHADC is primarily between, NPP, VPP, UDP and Congress. There are few constituencies where independent candidates are believed to be strong contenders.
Over 2,700 EVMs to be used for polls
A total number of over 2,700 EVMs would be used in 2,146 polling stations in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills regions including 11 auxiliary polling stations in Nongstoin.
Chief Secretary DP Wahlang on Thursday said they have enough EVMs at their disposal to attend to any emergency.
He also informed that they have 41 engineers to attend to any problems in the EVMs.
On security arrangement, Wahlang said they have sought additional forces from the Western Range (Garo Hills region) to be deployed in the Eastern Range (Khasi-Jaintia Hills) for the purpose of the elections.
He also informed that a total of 224 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and critical including 129 out of the 1,669 polling stations in KHADC and 95 out of the 477 polling stations in JHADC.
On the sensitive polling stations located along the Assam-Meghalaya border, the Chief Secretary said he has already taken up the matter with his Assam counterpart. He shared the movement of the polling parties and was assured by the Assam Chief Secretary that there will be no hindrance as polling parties will be required to pass through Assam to go to some polling stations.
Notably, no seizures have been reported during the election period, with the Chief Secretary attributing this to subdued nature of the campaigns. Most political activities were confined to common platforms rather than mega rallies.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills Additional Deputy Commissioner in-charge of Elections, Ronnie Wahlang said that they have taken all possible to ensure the polling is conducted in a free and fair manner in 17 district council constituencies in the district.
He said that 721 polling teams have left for their respective polling stations from the Mawlai-Mawiong ISBT on Thursday while 12 polling teams travelled on Wednesday.
Wahlang also informed that the casting of votes through postal ballots for polling officials concluded on Thursday at the ISBT.
He however informed that the polling officials can still handover their postal ballots on February 24 before 8 am to the Returning Officers of their respective constituencies.
It may be mentioned that the state government is spending over Rs 22 crore for the KHADC and JHADC elections.