By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 11: While allegations of dual voting continue to haunt the disputed Meghalaya-Assam border following the recent polls in the neighbouring state, local representatives are shifting the burden of proof to Dispur, exposing a persistent lack of coordination between the two governments to sanitise electoral rolls in sensitive blocks.
Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem stated he cannot confirm whether such instances occurred during the April 9 polling in Assam, insisting that the responsibility for verification rests with the Assam government. However, his stance highlights an administrative vacuum in the Ri-Bhoi sector, where electoral enrollment is often viewed as a strategic tool in the ongoing Phase 2 border settlement talks.
While Syiem acknowledged that reports of residents holding voting rights in both states have frequently surfaced, he maintained that these claims remain “unsubstantiated.” This lack of official verification persists despite the high stakes for border villages, where the “numbers” on an electoral roll can weaken or strengthen Meghalaya’s territorial claims.
The MLA suggested that any irregularities, if established, should be corrected, though the absence of a joint mechanism to cross-reference voter lists continues to leave the integrity of the border belt’s mandate in question.
