Shillong, Apr 3: The election machinery in Meghalaya is gearing up for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Chief Electoral Officer BDR Tiwari stating on Thursday that the state is fully prepared to undertake the exercise.
The SIR has begun in some states and will be carried out across the rest of the country. Meghalaya is currently awaiting the detailed schedule from the Election Commission of India.
The development comes amid growing demands from various civil society groups for an SIR in the state, especially before the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) election later this year. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has also voiced support for conducting the revision.
At the same time, preparations are underway for the Shillong Parliamentary by-election following the demise of sitting MP Ricky AJ Syngkon. Tiwari said the state will proceed in accordance with the timeline set by the Election Commission. He added that the first-level checking and commissioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has already been completed.
Currently, Meghalaya has 2,303 polling stations with a total electorate of 14,64,742 voters, and officials are continuing to update the electoral rolls. As per norms, the by-election must be conducted within six months of the seat becoming vacant.
On preparations related to the upcoming Assam elections, Tiwari informed that election authorities in both states are maintaining close coordination. He said seven districts along the Assam-Meghalaya border have already held multiple meetings to ensure smooth and peaceful polling in border areas. Security arrangements have also been strengthened, with 31 police check posts and 14 excise checkpoints set up along the inter-state boundary.
