More than 70 per cent of the 13 lakh voters cast their ballots in the two politically important tribal autonomous district councils in Meghalaya on Friday and the voting was held peacefully with some minor incidents of violence, officials said.
Voting was held in the 29 constituencies in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and 29 constituencies in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), two powerful tribal autonomous bodies under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Officials said that polling was affected after unidentified miscreants ransacked four polling stations and damaged the Electronic Voting Machines and clashes occurred between the supporters of two political parties.
C.V.D. Diengdoh, Commissioner and Secretary to the District Council Affairs Department, said that given these incidents repolling was ordered in four polling stations and the fresh voting would be held in these polling stations on Saturday.
Election officials said that over 13 lakh voters, including 6,76,467 women, of which more than 70 per cent have cast their votes, decided the fate of 158 candidates in the KHADC election and 114 candidates in the JHADC election.
Since 7 a.m., the electorates, comprising men and women, cast their ballots in 1,798 polling stations in the KHADC and 483 polling stations in JHADC.
Considering various situations and law and order issues, 129 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and critical in areas under KHADC and 95 in the JHADC.
According to the officials, a huge contingent of security forces has been deployed in both the council areas to ensure free, fair, and smooth conduct of elections.
The counting of votes will be held on Monday (February 24).
The principal electoral contenders in the two tribal autonomous bodies are the National People's Party (NPP) headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, the Voice of People's Party (VPP), the United Democratic Party, and the Congress.
However, the main fight between KHADC and JHADC would be between the NPP and the VPP.
Like Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura, Meghalaya also has three such tribal autonomous bodies under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to uplift the socio-economic, traditional, and cultural aspects of the tribals.
Besides the KHADC and the JHADC, the third autonomous body in Meghalaya is the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
Reliance Consumer Products partners with Assam’s established business house, Jericho, to set up a cutting-edge bottling facility
Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), a leading FMCG and beverage company, has strengthened the presence of Campa’s portfolio in Northeast India with the inauguration of a new bottling plant in Guwahati, Assam. Developed in collaboration with local partner Jericho,
Using modern tools to increase revenue & improve tax collections: Tripura CM
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday said that to increase revenue from various sectors and improve tax collection, modern technologies are being utilised and digital awareness among the taxpayers would be further expanded.
BJP ministers conduct inspections across Delhi; promise swift completion of projects
Wasting no time after securing a historic victory in the national Capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a series of inspections to address civic and infrastructural issues across Delhi.
Under-construction tunnel collapses in Telangana, seven workers feared trapped
Seven workers are feared trapped after a portion of an under-construction tunnel as part of Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) collapsed in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district on Saturday.
Bid to rig polls: ED lens over USAID’s partners in crime in India
The Directorate of Enforcement, along with other security and financial agencies, has initiated preliminary steps to identify Indian entities and individuals who served as conduits for receiving the now-scrapped USAID’s $21 million to influence voter turnout in the country, official sources said on Saturday.
Delhi CM Gupta meets PM Modi; city ministers oversee road repairs, projects
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Saturday even as her Cabinet ministers hit the road and started reviewing repairs of potholed roads and reviewed pending projects across the city.
Atishi seeks meeting with Delhi CM on Rs 2,500 monthly payment to women
Delhi’s new Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was on Saturday approached by her predecessor and AAP leader Atishi for a meeting to discuss the early launch of a scheme of Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to women - a promise made by the BJP during the Assembly election campaign.
Israel confirms death of Shiri Bibas in Hamas captivity after 16 months of uncertainty
The announcement follows a failed attempt by Hamas to return Bibas' remains a day earlier when the body delivered was found to belong to a Palestinian woman instead, reports Times of Israel.