SHILLONG, Feb 26 — Sluggish polling in the election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly in the morning today indicated a possible low polling in the state this time. According to state election authorities, after three hours of polling at 10 am, only 20 per cent of the nearly 12 lakh voters have exercised their franchise.
Several observers attributed the low turn-out to the disenchantment of the voters. The reasons are not far to see as historically, political instability has dogged the state since its birth. The last Assembly had witnessed a record six governments in the space of five years. Political pundits have predicted another hung Assembly this time with no political party expected to garner even a simple majority. The coalition culture of the state is here to stay, they say. The polling, however, is reported to be peaceful with no untoward incident reported from any part of the state. No major violence is apprehended with the state’s two militant outfits, the HNLC and ANVC expected to remain neutral to the poll process.
With the introduction of electronic voting machines and electoral photo ID card in all the polling booths in the state, voters are spending much less time in the queue. This has also helped eliminate impersonation and other electoral malpractices. The use of EVM may further bring down the overall polling in the state as it would deter bogus voting as well.
Moving round the urban constituencies in the state capital here this correspondent saw a lot of enthusiasm among the voters specially the young people to cast their votes through the EVMs. Expect minor complaints, the EVMs functioned smoothly. The speculation about possible low polling in the state this time has been discounted by some as normal in the morning hours. It would pick up later in the afternoon as most voters specially the women folk come out after finishing their household chores, they contend.
In all, 333 candidates including 14 women are in the contest to the seventh Assembly. The Congress is the lone party contesting all the 60 seats in the state. Other major contenders to power include the NCP and the regional United Democratic Party, MDP, Khasi Students Union-floated KHNAM and BJP.