The nomination process for the elections to the Khasi and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Councils (KHADC and JHADC) closed today at 3pm just after the last candidatures were registered.
Outgoing KHADC Chief Executive Member, Pyniaid Sing Syiem of the National People’s Party (NPP), left it to the last day to file his paperwork to run in the Nongthymmai constituency.
Speaking to reporters, Syiem, who is the current MDC for Sohryngkham explained that his seat swap is because he is a resident of Nongthymmai constituency and that he has received the support of the late Latiplang Kharkongor, the incumbent Nongthymmai MDC who passed away a few months before the election.
“We also consulted with the family members of the late Kharkongor, and they welcomed the decision and gave their blessings, which confirms my choice to run from here,” he said.
Syiem also brushed aside fears that anti-incumbency would hurt the NPP, which is the ruling party in the KHADC, JHADC and state level. On the other hand, he said that the predictions that the Voice of the People Party (VPP) would do well in its first district council elections have been overstated. Syiem asserted that the VPP would lose as the people have seen that it promised much after the state and Lok Sabha elections but has delivered litte.
Meanwhile, in Ri-Bhoi, two candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed their nominations on the last day.
The BJP candidates are Rodney Syngkli for the Umsning constituency and Manin Raja for Nongpoh. During the nomination filing, Syngkli and Raja were accompanied by party leaders and supporters. Speaking to the media, they stressed that, with the BJP-led government at the helm of the nation, their election would facilitate the implementation of numerous initiatives beneficial to the people of Meghalaya.
For the Mawkynrew seat in East Khasi Hills, Amanda Pakyntein, the wife of sitting MLA and former cabinet minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, filed her nomination papers on an NPP ticket.
Speaking to reporters, Pakyntein stated, “I am confident that I will win the election and I assure you that I will follow in my husband’s footsteps by bringing development to the constituency and working towards strengthening the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. This is crucial for the protection of the Indigenous community and for preserving our rich customs and traditions.”
She also highlighted the need for transparency in the KHADC recruitment process, protection of the environment and strengthening the matrilineal system.
Meanwhile, United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate for Sohiong-Nongspung, Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah, filed his nomination today. Thabah, who is also the sitting MLA of Sohiong, said he respects the decision of the election committee and the people who chose him to contest the election.
The two ADCs together have a total of 13,08,818 eligible voters, with 9,96,518 voters from KHADC (including 5,15,247 females, 4,81,268 males and three third gender individuals) and 3,12,300 voters from JHADC (comprising 1,61,220 females, 1,51,079 males and one third gender voter).
There will be 2,146 polling stations across both councils, with 1,669 located in KHADC and 477 in JHADC.
The nomination period began on January 27 and ended today, which was followed by the scrutiny of nominations, with the last date to withdraw names from the fray being tomorrow.
The final list of valid nominations and symbol allotments will be confirmed on February 6. Voting will take place on February 21 and the counting of votes is scheduled for February 24.
In Ri-Bhoi, after the scrutiny process, it was confirmed that a total of 26 candidates from the five constituencies of the district will contest the MDC election. None of the nomination papers were rejected.
In West Jaintia Hills there are 73 candidates for the 19 seats. These comprise 19 NPP candidates, 19 VPP, 12 Congress Party, 11 UDP, two BJP and 10 independents.
