Re-poll ordered in one Meghalaya Assembly booth

Re-polling has been recommended in Konarchar polling station in Meghalaya's Selsella Assembly constituency due to criss-crossing of electronic voting machine (EVM) during the polling on Thursday, an election official said on Friday.

"Electorate falling under Konarchar polling booth cast their votes in the voting machine meant for Lok Sabha poll instead of Assembly by-poll," Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor said.

However, he said the Election Commission is yet to fix the date for re-poll in the Konarchar booth.

Konarchar polling booth has a total of 712 votes.

Kharkongor said voting slips generated by VVPATs will be counted in the six polling stations -- four under Tura Parliamentary constituency and two under Shillong seat -- on the counting day -- May 23.

The six polling stations include Possengagre, Kochapara, Aminda Simsang (all under Gambegre Assembly constituency), Dawar Katinggre (Williamnagar Assembly constituency) in Tura parliamentary seat, and Nongpyndeng (Nongstoi Assembly seat) and Khliehrangnah (Raliang Assembly constituency).

"VVPAT slips in these six polling stations have to be counted because presiding officers forgot to clear the data recorded in the voting machines when mock poll was conducted prior to the actual voting," Kharkongor said.

Meghalaya recorded 71.37 per cent voting for the two parliamentary constituencies -- Shillong and Tura -- that went to polls on Thursday even as the Selsella by-poll recorded 92.20 per cent.

Shillong recorded 65.49 per cent turnout, while Tura saw a healthy 81.20 per cent.

--IANS

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