Central Armed Police Force to be deployed in Ranikor, South Tura Shillong

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The State Election Department will deploy four companies each of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) during the Ranikor and South Tura by-elections slated for August 23.

“Eight companies of CAPF, four companies for each constituency have been provided for,” Chief Electoral Officer, Fredrick Roy Kharkongor informed. The CEO also said that the Election Department is fully prepared to conduct the by-elections.

He informed that one sector officer will look after one polling booth and the State Police department has been instructed to equip sector officers with VHF sets in areas where mobile connectivity is not available.

Kharkong also said that since Ranikor constituency is more of a challenge for the Election Department, 10 zones and 24 sectors have been formed to take care of the remote areas and ensure the smooth conduct of the by-poll.

The CEO said that in Ranikor web casting would be undertaken in some polling stations where connectivity is available. However, on South Tura, Kharkongor said that he did not foresee any problem and the task is not that challenging like Ranikor since it is an urban area. For Ranikor constituency the Election Department may have to be contended with rough weather since this is the monsoon season.

The terrain in this constituency is hilly and there are many villages which are not yet connected by roads. It may be mentioned Kharkongor visited Mawkyrwat the headquarter of South West Khasi Hills district to take stock of the by-poll preparedness in Ranikor constituency. In South Tura, apart from Besides Chief Minister, Conrad Kongkal Sangma, there is the opposition Congress candidate, Charlotte W. Momin, and two Independent candidates - former South Tura MLA, John Leslee K. Sangma and Chris Kabul A Sangma. In Ranikor constituency too, there are four candidates are in the fray. Former Ranikor MLA, Martin M. Danggo who switched ranks from the Congress is the candidate of the NPP, Pius Marweiñ of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Jackiush Sangma of the opposition Congress, and former Mawsynram legislator, P.N.Syiem who is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Front.