Meghalaya assembly polls: Over 10.5% voter turnout recorded till 9 am

Shillong: Meghalaya recorded a voter turnout of 10.55 per cent till 9 am on Monday, with the polling process being peaceful in the first two hours, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said.

Polling began in 59 of 60 assembly constituencies in the northeastern state at 7 am as 21.6 lakh voters are expected to seal the electoral fate of 369 candidates.

"We have noticed enthusiasm among voters in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region and voting is picking up slowly in the Garo Hills. Long queues of voters were seen in several polling stations,” Kharkongor told PTI.

He also said "no untoward incident" has been reported so far.

"Malfunctioning of EVMs were reported in a few polling booths but these were later fixed. Polling is being held in a free and fair manner," the CEO said.

The ruling National People’s Party is fighting to retain power while the BJP, the Trinamool Congress and other regional parties are vying to bring about a change in the government.

Voting is underway at 3,419 polling stations, of which 640 have been categorised as ‘vulnerable’ and 323 as ‘critical’, Kharkongor said.

Polling will continue till 4 pm.

Thirty-six of the 369 candidates are women, with the largest number of 10 being put up by the Congress.

Polling in Sohiong assembly constituency has been adjourned due to the death of one of the candidates.

“Over 19,000 polling personnel and 119 companies of CAPFs have been deployed. They have been backed by state policemen to maintain law and order,” the CEO said.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is contesting from South Tura constituency where he has locked horns with militant-turned-politician Bernard Marak.

Leader of Opposition and TMC leader Mukul Sangma is contesting from two seats – Songsak and Tikrikilla. His wife D D Shira is also in the fray.

The Congress and the BJP are contesting 59 seats, while the NPP has put up nominees in 56 constituencies, the TMC in 57 and the UDP in 46.