Meghalaya records 85.17% voter turnout in assembly polls

Shillong: A total of 85.17 per cent of the 21.6 lakh electors in Meghalaya cast their votes in the assembly polls, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said. The polling continued for several hours on Monday after the scheduled time of voting coming to a close at 4 pm, he said, adding, the elections were “by and large peaceful”.

"The voter turnout was recorded at 85.17 per cent without the postal ballots. Polling was held in a free and fair manner and no untoward incident has been reported,” Kharkongor told PTI.

The CEO also said that counting will be held on March 2 at 13 centres across the state.

Exit polls by various channels on Monday predicted a hung house in Meghalaya.

Though Meghalaya has a 60-member assembly, polling in Sohiong constituency was adjourned following the death of one of the candidates.

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

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

Voting took place in 3,419 polling stations, of which 640 had been categorised as 'vulnerable' and 323 as 'critical'.