Meghalaya Assembly Election 2023: Meghalaya is set to decide its political fate in the Assembly elections tomorrow, on February 26. There will be 3,419 polling stations across the state’s 59 Assembly constituencies. The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 4 p.m.
The election for the Sohiong Assembly constituency has been postponed due to the death of the state’s former Home Minister and UDP candidate for the seat, HDR Lyngdoh. On February 20, he died of a cardiac arrest.
Also Read: Meghalaya Election 2023: Election Official Dies In Road Accident In Meghalaya
Meghalaya has 60 Assembly constituencies, 36 of which are in the Khasi, Jaintia Hills region, and 24 in the Garo Hills region.
The state has over 21 lakh voters (21,75,236), with 10.99 lakh women and 10.68 lakh men voting. The state has the most female voters. This year, the state has approximately 81,000 first-time voters. There are 369 candidates in the running, 36 of whom are women.
The mood in Meghalaya is clear…record affection for BJP! pic.twitter.com/BKYIUZ6V94
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 24, 2023
There will be a total of 3,419 polling stations, of which 120 will be entirely managed by women, 60 will be model polling stations, and the remaining 60 will be PWD polling stations.
The current term of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly’s 60 members will end on March 15. The majority threshold in the state to form government is 31.
The Election Commission has deployed 119 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies in Meghalaya. The CEO stated that 53 observers are on the job to ensure that the elections are free, fair, and peaceful, including 20 general observers, 21 expenditure observers, and 12 police observers. According to Meghalaya’s Chief Electoral Officer, FR Kharkongor, 640 polling stations are ‘vulnerable,’ 323 are ‘critical,’ and 84 are both. ECI has prohibited exit polls in Meghalaya from 7 a.m. on Friday to 7 p.m. on the election day, February 27. The ECI also issued an advisory stating that mobile phones are not permitted inside voting booths across the state.
Key candidates in Meghalaya Assembly election:
Conrad Sangma, the Chief Minister, is running from the South Tura constituency. Bernard N Marak, the BJP’s candidate, was pitted against the NPP’s leader. Chesterfield Sangma of the Congress Party is running against James Sangma of the NPP in Dadenggre.
Former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is running on the Trinamool ticket from Tikrikilla and Songsak.
Metbah Lyngdoh, the UDP’s leader, is running from Mairang. NPP also pitted Prestone Tynsong against Pynursla. Titosstar Well Chyne of the United Democratic Party is running from Sohra.
Key constituency in Meghalaya:
South Tura Constituency
West Shillong
Sutnga Saipung
Songsak and Tikrikilla constituency
Key issues in Meghalaya:
The ruling NPP, which is seeking re-election, may have to deal with the anti-incumbency factor this time. One of the key poll issues this time is the lack of infrastructure development in remote and hilly areas. Furthermore, the NPP government is dogged by corruption allegations.
Illegal coal mining in Jaintia and Khasi Hills is another factor that could influence the outcome of this year’s elections. Unemployment is a pet grouse and demand of the youth when it comes to key poll issues. In their manifestos, all parties promised job creation and the creation of election opportunities. The NPP attacked the BJP over the long-pending issue of Meghalaya’s Inner Line Permit (ILP).
