By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With a total voters’ turnout of 88.06 per cent, Meghalaya this time witnessed a decline of 0.98 per cent turnout in Saturday’s election as compared to the data from the 2008 election which had recorded 89.04 per cent turnout.
Chief Electoral Officer P Naik on Sunday informed that the total turnout in the February 23 election was 86.88 per cent.
Out of a total number of 15,02,509 votes in the State, a total of 13, 05, 439 votes were cast on Saturday which is 86.88 per cent of the total votes.
Naik also informed that 17,225 votes were cast through the postal ballot system taking the total number of votes cast to 13,22,664 with a final voting percentage of 88.06 for the entire State.
Khliehriat constituency in East Jaintia Hills District recorded the highest voter turnout with 93.30 per cent while Shillong North constituency with 71. 45 per cent recorded the lowest turnout.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer expressed his satisfaction over the fact that the entire electioneering was by and large peaceful expect in one case in Nartiang constituency where some people were arrested for trying to cause damage to the EVMs.
Reacting to a query, Naik said that polling continued till 7.30 pm in one polling station in the plain belt of Garo Hills.
Commenting on the low turnout in urban areas, Naik said that the phenomenon was prevalent throughout the country.
Naik also informed that counting of votes will be taken up at 13 centres spread across the state from 8 am onwards on February 28.