SHILLONG: Besides the health protocols over COVID-19, the Rajya Sabha election in Meghalaya to be held on Friday will have many new features.
60 legislators will elect a new member to the Upper House and the choice is between WR Kharlukhi (NPP) and Kennedy Khyriem (Congress).
The election will be held from 9 am to 4 pm at the temporary Assembly at Rilbong and counting of votes will be taken up at 5 pm.
Violet pen
The state Chief Electoral Officer, Frederick Kharkongor said on Thursday that among the features for the purpose of voting, only violet sketch pen supplied by the returning officer will have to be used by the legislators.
Use of any other pen will invalidate the ballot paper.
The voters cannot put tick marks or cross marks but should mention figure 1 or 2 in order of preference.
If there are tick marks or cross marks, such ballot paper will be rejected.
Kharkongor said that in previous Rajya Sabha polls, the legislators were permitted to use personal pens or ball pens.
However, objections were made in Haryana on clarity of marking respective preferences on ballot paper and hence the ECI decided to arrange for centrally provided integrated violet sketch pen which is unique and specific only for elections to the Upper House.
Open ballot
As per the provision of Representation of People Act, the election is by open ballot.
Kharkongor said an elector, who is a member of a political party, should show the ballot paper after voting to the authorised agent of the political party for verification.
If the legislator refuses to show the ballot paper after voting, the vote will be cancelled by the returning officer. Besides, an MLA belonging to one political party cannot show the ballot paper to the authorised agent of any other political party.
However, this is not applicable to Independent MLAs but if they show the ballot paper to the agent of any political party, it would be violation of voting procedure.
Kharkongor said the purpose of open ballot is to prevent cross voting, wipe out corruption and maintain integrity of the democratic system.
