84.86% voters turnout in Meghalaya: CEO

From a correspondent

Shillong, Feb 28: Meghalaya recorded 84.86 per cent voters turnout in the elections to the State Legislative Assembly on  Tuesday.

On Tuesday evening, based on details made available by the State Election department, the figure had been placed at 78  percent. Meghalaya’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Frederick Roy Kharkongor, however, said that the figure would go up since  polling in Williamgar constituency had not taken place, postal ballots had not been counted, and so also repoll in  Kyndongtuber under Raliang constituency in West Jaintia Hills had not taken place. “The turnout has been robust and healthy with Williamgar yet to vote. With sympathy wave there is hope for a high  voters turnout in this constituency. Perhaps we may equal the turnout of 2013 polls,” Kharkongor said.

The polling percentage in 2013 was 86.88. The CEO also said that female voters came out to vote in large numbers, more than their male counterparts. Kharkongor stated that 7, 88, 511 females, constituting about 86.30 per cent of the women voters and 7, 47, 335 males, accounting for about 83.40 per cent of the male voters, cast their votes. The CEO also said that in Kyndong Tuber under Raliang constituency re-poll will be held on March 1.

In Kyndongtuber polling station there was a “mix-up” where the balloting unit meant for Mowkaiaw went to Raliang. Kharkongor said that South West Garo Hills district registered the highest voters turnout with 91.15 per cent while South  West Khasi Hills district registered 75.08 per cent. Constituency-wise, Mowkaiaw registered the highest voters turn out with 93.21 per cent casting their votes, while North  Shillong clocked the lowest voters turnout with 60.79 per cent. The CEO also said that Shillong was a traditiolly low-voting area but added that the issue of “urban apathy” might not be true in all the constituencies of the city.