Counting of votes in the two Lok Sabha seats of the State – Shillong and Tura – will be held tomorrow along with the rest of the country. The results from the two parliamentary seats are expected to be known by the afternoon.
This was informed by Chief Electoral Officer B D R Tiwari to media persons here today.
“By afternoon we can expect results to be declared. The Deputy Commissioner has already assessed the situation and all needful arrangements for peaceful counting and after declaration of result to ensure there is no untoward incident. All measures have been taken so far found no such probability in our State. Meghalaya is a peace loving State so I hope the counting and post counting process will be done smoothly,” Tiwari said.
Tiwari said that despite the challenges of having a temporary building in Polo Grounds for counting, the arrangements made by the Returning Officer of Shillong are good in all aspects.
“Even though in Shillong we have 15 Assembly segments for the counting as well as postal ballots we’re not having permanent buildings. So makeshift arrangements are there which are rainproof,” he said.
He also said that entries for polling personnel, officials, counting agents, media centre and other arrangements have been properly arranged,” added the CEO.
The voting for both the Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya was held in the first phase on April 19.
The counting will be carried out at all 12 districts including Sohra Civil Sub-Division.
The counting of votes will commence at 8 am. There will be eight counting centres for Shillong seat and five counting centres for Tura seat.
A total of 369 tables will be used across seven districts under Shillong Lok Sabha seat and 244 tables across five districts under Tura parliamentary seat.
Mawlai Assembly segment will be counted in nine rounds as it is the largest in terms of the number of electors.
A total of 18 counting observers has been deployed by the Election Commission of India (12 for Shillong and six for Tura).
Today, Chief Secretary Donald P. Wahlang, Chief Election Officer B D R Tiwari and Returning Officer for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat Sibhi C. Sadhu visited the counting hall in Polo Grounds, Shillong.
Wahlang expressed confidence that counting will be conducted effectively. He also said that security measures are adequate and adequate security personnel have been deployed in the counting centres.
There are six candidates in the fray for the Shillong seat. They include sitting MP Vincent H. Pala of the Congress, Ampareen Lyngdoh of the NPP, Ricky A J Syngkon of the VPP, Robertjune Kharjahrin of the UDP and two independent candidates Lakhon Kma and Peter Shallam.
For the Tura seat there are four candidates. They include sitting MP Agatha Sangma of the NPP, Zenith M. Sangma of the Trinamool Congress, Saleng A. Sangma of the Congress and independent candidate Labenn Ch Marak.
