New Delhi: A voter turnout of 76.66 per cent was recorded in the Meghalaya assembly elections while it was 84.66 per cent in Nagaland till 5pm Monday, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Counting of votes for the two states will begin on 2 March.
The voter turnout for both northeastern states was higher than what it was at 5 pm in 2018. The final voter turnout in 2018 was 83.85 per cent in Nagaland and 85.59 per cent in Meghalaya.
In a bid to encourage people to vote, “first five early voters” and all first time voters — aged 18 — were awarded mementos in Meghalaya.
First five early voters receiving momentos to encourage early voting.Also first time voter,18 plus felicitated
@SpokespersonECI
@ECISVEEP
@PIBShillong pic.twitter.com/meLr3blSle— Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya (@ceomeghalaya) February 27, 2023
In Nagaland, incumbent Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is seeking a re-election after forming an alliance with the BJP for five years. Rio, who is a top leader of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is seeking re-election from the Northern Angami-II assembly seat in the state.
“The NDPP and the BJP would comfortably come back to power with more than the absolute number of seats,” Rio said, after casting his vote.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, meanwhile, is facing a new challenge from the All India Trinamool Congress, led by former CM Mukul Sangma. Conrad, who is the National People’s Party chief, has turned against its former ally — BJP — after being in power together for five years.
After casting his vote in Tura Monday, Conrad said, “People are coming out in large numbers to vote. This is good for democracy. I’ve not seen this kind of voter turnout in the past. We are confident that it’ll be in our favour.”
In a statement released Monday evening, the ECI said, “Advance planning and extensive monitoring by the commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with ECs Shri Anup Chandra Pandey and Shri Arun Goel ensured smooth conduct of elections in the two states with no repoll reported in any of the 5,710 polling stations.”
“The hilly regions in Meghalaya involved meticulous planning and even travel through mountainous terrain, crossing rivers and inaccessible areas. There were 74 non-motorable polling stations with two riverine polling stations, one at Kamsing in Amlarem civil sub-division and the other at Kalatek under Sohra civil sub-division. There are a number of polling stations in Garo Hills region where polling parties had to travel across makeshift bamboo bridges and double decker root bridges,” the ECI statement added.
The Election Commission also granted an ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh to the family of one of the polling officials in West Garo Hills district who died in a road accident while on duty.
Voting for bye elections in Tamil Nadu’s Erode, West Bengal’s Sagardighi and Jharkhand’s Ramgarh were also held Monday.
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