Polling begins for Williamnagar seat

Polling in the Williamnagar Assembly seat in Meghalaya"s East Garo Hills district began on a peaceful note at 7 am today amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

Polling for the seat was postponed following the death of NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma in an IED attack on February 18, days before the February-27 Assembly election in the state.

Women voters in Garo costumes were seen queueing up at various polling stations across the constituency since morning and shopkeepers are doing brisk business in the vicinity of polling booths.

Altogether nine candidates are in the fray.

Voting will end at 4 pm in all of the 58 polling stations, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor told PTI.

Four companies of central armed police forces have been deployed for the smooth conduct of the elections, the CEO said.

There are over 32,000 registered voters in the constituency, of which 16,713 are male voters and 15,632 females, the CEO said.

The ruling National Peoples Party has fielded former MLA Marcuis N Marak while Deborah C Marak is the Congress candidate.

The NCP, whose candidate Jonathone S Sangma died in an IED attack on February 18, has fielded his wife Krenila Marak.

The NPP, the BJP, the United Democratic Party and the NCP are all parts of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, bur are contesting independently in the poll.