Counting of votes begins in Meghalaya

Counting of votes for 60 Assembly seats of Meghalaya, polling for which was held on February 23, began at 8 am today amidst tight security.

"Counting will continue till all results are announced, hopefully before noon," Chief Electoral Officer P Naik told PTI here.

The CEO has already directed the district-level officers to ensure fool proof security in and around counting centres.

He said 100 metre periphery of all the 13 counting centres in the state have been declared no-vehicle zone.

Prominent leaders among the total 345 candidates whose fate would be decided today are HSPDP President Hopingstone Lyngdoh, who had never lost a single elections since Meghalaya attained statehood in 1972, besides four former Chief Ministers, including Mukul Sangma of the outgoing house.

The three other Chief Ministers are D D  Lapang, who is also the state Congress President, S C Marak and United Democratic Party Chief Donkupar Roy.

Other prominent candidates are Mukul Sangma's wife D D Shira, National Peoples Party chief and former Speaker P A Sangma's two sons -- Conrad and James.