84.86 per cent polling in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: Meghalaya recorded 84.86 per cent polling in the assembly election held yesterday, state chief electoral officer F R Kharkongor said today.
In 2013 assembly elections in the state, the voter turnout was 86.82 per cent. This year's polling percentage is expected to go up further after voting in Williamnagar constituency, he said.
Polling in Williamnagar was countermanded after the death of NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma in a militant attack last week.
'"Taking into account postal ballots of over 22,000 government employees who were deployed on election duty, the total voting percentage will touch the 2013 figures and may even go up a bit considering the fact that Williamnagar has a trend of high voter turnout," Kharkongor said.
Yesterday, he had put the turnout at around 75 per cent, but polling data from far flung areas of the state was yet to be received.
Kharkongor said 15,35,846 voters out of the total 18.09 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in 59 constituencies yesterday.
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in Kyndong Tuber polling station in Raliang constituency of West Jaintia Hills district tomorrow. Voting will be held from 7 am to 4 pm, he said.
The order came after he recommended re-polling in the polling station due to a "human error" which had resulted in a mix up of EVMs from another constituency. This had led to voting being stopped in the polling station.
The highest turnout was recorded at Mookaiaw constituency where 93.21 per cent voters exercised their franchise, and the least was registered in North Shillong which witnessed 60.79 per cent polling, he said.
District wise, South West Garo Hills, which has three Assembly constituencies, including those contested by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (Ampati) and his wife D D Shira (Mahendraganj), recorded 91.15 per cent voter turnout.
South West Khasi Hills district, which has two constituencies, Ranikor and Mawkyrwat, held by cabinet minister Martin M Danggo and former deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh respectively, recorded the lowest turnout.
Kharkongor said the state election department has retained 11 of the 106 companies of central armed police forces which were deployed for peaceful polling.
"After a review of the law-and-order situation we have recommended retention of 11 companies of CAPF which will be deployed at the strong room in East Jaintia Hills district and in few pockets of the state capital," he said.