SHILLONG, APR 18: The stage is set for tomorrow’s crucial Lok Sabha elections for the two seats in Meghalaya – Shillong parliamentary constituency and Tura parliamentary constituency with six and four candidates respectively in the fray.
Polling will start from 7 am to 4 pm on April 19.
22,26,567 voters of which 10,99,517 are males, 11,27,047 are females and 3 are third gender – will exercise their franchise in 3512 polling stations, to elect their new leaders to represent them from the two constituencies in the parliament.
“We are geared up for the polling tomorrow,” chief electoral officer (CEO) Dr BDR Tiwari told reporters on Thursday.
He informed that a total of 40 companies of central armed police force (CAPF) have been deployed to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of polls. Of these, 26 are CRPF – 6 BSF – 4 SSB and 4 RPF.
“We are confident the elections will be held in a peaceful manner,” Tiwari added.
According to him, 14048 polling personnel have been deployed to all 3512 polling stations across the two parliamentary constituencies.
The CEO said there are 31,247 first time voters, 11,720 – PWD voters, 85+ voters – 10,180, overseas voters – 5, 100+ voters – 341, service voters – 3,884, 18-19 voters – 84,412, 20-29 voters – 7,17,416.
Of 3512 polling stations, 3186 are in rural and 326 urban. A total of 88 are all women managed polling stations, 60 – model polling stations, 10 – PwD managed polling stations besides 1886 webcasting in polling stations, 50 are non-motorable polling stations and 762 are P2 polling stations.
Stating that there are 133 polling stations under mobile shadow zone, Tiwari said there are 409 vulnerable polling stations and 29 critical polling stations adding there are 187 polling stations along inter-state border with Assam and 147 along international border with Bangladesh.
In Shillong parliamentary constituency, the polling station with the highest voters is 17-Nongspung in 33-Rambrai Jyrngam (1274 voters) and the polling station with the lowest voters is 82-Kamsing in Amlarem and 56-Photeitsim in Ranikor with 36 voters each.
In Tura parliamentary constituency, the polling station with the highest voters is 12-Chandmary in North Tura (1324 voters) and the polling station with the lowest voters is 53-Narigre in Williamnagar (85 voters).
Tiwari said that the constituency with the largest size of electors is Mawlai with 50953 and Dalu is with the smallest size of electors at 22398.
The Elector Gender Ratio was 1021 in 2019 and 1025 in 2024 while Elector Population (EP) Ratio was 524 in 2019 and 649 in 2024
The polling percentage in the last 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Meghalaya was at 71.42% of which Shillong at 65.48% and Tura at 81.38%. In 2023 Assembly election, the polling percentage was at 86.81%.
Further, the CEO informed that 22,26,567 Voter Information Slips (VIS) have been distributed to all Electors by Booth Level Officers which should be carried along with EPIC on polling day adding that 2030 Accessible Voter Information Slips with Braille Features has also been distributed to electors with Visual Impairment. Voter guides to 4,59,573 households.
He said home voting optional facility offered to 21900 eligible electors (10180-Senior Citizens, 11720-PwDs) out of which 4619 (2387 Senior Citizens + 2232 PwD) electors have voted from home.
Election Duty Certificates have been provided to Govt. officers and staff on ‘election duty’ who will cast their vote on the EVM at Polling Stations where they are deployed on polling day.
When asked, the CEO said, “So far we have taken all the necessary measures and no proxy voting to be there in Lok Sabha. So whoever is the voter in our state they will vote in our state and all the necessary steps have already been ensured accordingly.”
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