Over 92 % turnout in Meghalaya Assembly by-election

SHILLONG: Over 92 per cent of the 34,783 voters cast their votes on Wednesday in the by-election to the Sohiong Assembly constituency in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district. Chief Electoral Officer F.R. Kharkongor said that no incident of violence was reported in the bye-poll, which was conducted under tight security measures. He said that first-timers, young voters, and elderly voters enthusiastically cast their ballots since the polling started at 7 a.m.

Out of the 63 polling stations, the Nongpathaw model polling station took the initiative to “cast a vote, plant a tree”, he said. A total of 34,783 voters, including 17,687 females, were eligible to cast their votes to decide the fate of the six candidates in the fray.

The elections for the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly were held on February 27, but the polling in Sohiong could not be held following the death of United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate H. Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh, who passed away on February 20 due to illness. The bye-poll is witnessing a multi-corner contest among the partners of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and opposition parties.

The UDP has fielded Synshar Lyngdoh Thabah, the National People’s Party (NPP) has put up Samlin Malngiang, and the BJP has put up Seraph Eric Kharbuki, while the Congress fielded S. Osborne Kharjana, the Trinamool Congress put up Stodingstar Thabah, and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) nominated Sandondor Ryntathiang. The UDP, NPP, and BJP are partners of the MDA government, headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who is also the national president of the NPP. In the February 27 elections, the NPP, the BJP, the Congress, the Trinamool, and the HSPDP also put up candidates in the Sohiong constituency. Votes will be counted on May 13. (IANS)

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