Meghalaya to go for Lok Sabha polls on April 11

* Bye-poll for Selsella Assembly seat to be held simultaneously

* 3, 26, 896 voters increase since 2014

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The State of Meghalaya, which sends two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha, will go to poll on April 11. The bye-election for the Selsella Assembly seat which fell vacant after the demise of the sitting Congress legislator Clement Marak will also be held simultaneously.

Addressing media persons in Shillong on Sunday evening after the election dates were announced by the Election Commission of India in New Delhi, State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Fredrick Roy Kharkongor said that there has been an increase of 3, 26, 896 voters in the State since the 2014 Lok Sabha.

According to Kharkongor, while the number of electorates in the last Lok Sabha polls in 2014 was 15,65,820 , in 2019 the number of voters is 18, 46, 625, which might change as the enrolment of voters will be allowed till March 25, the last date of filing of nominations. He also said that the number of female electorates outnumber that of males in the State.

The Meghalaya CEO said that out of the 18, 46, 625 electorates, 9, 36, 579 are males and 9, 56, 137 are females. The number of electorates in the 2018 Assembly elections was 18, 42, 163. Kharkongor also stated that out of the 18, 46, 625 electorates as per the final rolls published on January 17 this year, 76,782 electorates belong to the 18 -19 year category.

The CEO also said that out of the 60 Assembly constituencies 22 seats are “expenditure sensitive” which means that the State Election department foresees that cash may be used to influence voters in such places.

“We’ve shared the details of such constituencies with the Income Tax officials and the police,” Kharkongor informed.

There are a total of 3,167 polling stations spread all over the State. Of them, 704 are vulnerable polling stations, 249 are critical polling stations and 68 are both critical and vulnerable polling stations.

He also said that 86 polling stations are along the international border with Bangladesh and 171 are along the inter-state border with Assam.

The CEO also said that VIGIL App- which will provide time stamped evidentiary proof of model code of conduct / Expenditure Violation, having live photo/video with auto location data will go live from Sunday.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police H Nongpluh said that the State has already told the Ministry of Home Affairs about its requirement of security forces which has been finalized after identification of the vulnerable areas.

Also Read: MEGHALAYA NEWS