Four months have gone since the Gambegre assembly seat became vacant following the resignation of the incumbent MLA Saleng Sangma of the Congress Party and there is still no word from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on when the by-election will be held.
Sangma resigned his seat after winning the Tura Lok Sabha election, the result of which was declared at the start of June.
Meghalaya’s Chief Electoral Officer, BDR Tiwari, refused to say much on when the by-election will be held but did say that by-polls are supposed to be held within six months of the seat falling vacant.
If this is adhered to, the by-election will likely take place in November or December, i.e. during the festive season.
“All the needful will be done once the ECI announces the schedule for the election,” Tiwari said.
Meanwhile, as per existing policy of the ECI, the annual summary revision with reference to January 1 of the coming year as qualifying date is normally conducted in the later part of each year so that final publication of the electoral roll is made in the first week of January of the succeeding year.
As part of exercise, Tiwari held a meeting today with representatives of political parties and meetings with District Election Officers (DEOs) will be held on a regular basis until the publication of the final electoral rolls.
