Shillong, Feb 24: The voting for the two autonomous district council in Meghalaya namely Khasi Hills autonomous District council and Jaintia hills autonomous district council began this morning. The voting began at 7 am and will continue till 4 pm.
Altogether 212 candidates are in fray for these two district council election. A total number of 123 candidates, including 12 women, are contesting in the KHADC polls while 89 candidates including two women candidates will fight it out in the JHADC election.
Over six lakh voters in Khasi Hills and more than two lakh electorates in Jaintia Hills will decide the fate of 212 candidates.
Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the elections which began under the newly delimited constituencies. Out of the 1,148 polling stations for the KHADC, 142 have been notified as hypersensitive while 188 others have been marked as sensitive.
Out of 344 polling stations in Jaintia Hills, 72 have been marked hypersensitive while 136 have been declared sensitive.
While most of the regional political parties are harping on the issue of Inner Line Permit to woo the voters, the Congress has played the development card to attract the voters’ attention.
The major political parties, which are in the fray, include the Congress, United Democratic Party, Hill State People’s Democratic Party and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement. The Counting of votes will be held on February 27.(SP News)
