Guwahati: 74.32 percent and 81.94 percent of eligible voters were registered in Meghalaya and Nagaland, respectively, as of 5 p.m. The Electoral Commission attributes this accomplishment to meticulous oversight, careful planning, and technological utilisation.
Polling parties had to traverse difficult terrain and engage in arduous mountain climbs to get to the 74 non-motorable polling sites in Meghalaya. Officially, polling was to continue till 4 pm in both states, but voters who reached the polling booth prior to the official closing time were allowed to cast their votes.
In Nagaland, more than 1.3 million voters are entitled to exercise their franchise, whereas 2.16 million people are able to cast their votes in Meghalaya. In Nagaland, there are 369 candidates running for office, including 36 women, and voting is taking place in 59 of the state’s 60 assembly seats. The passing of one of the candidates necessitated the postponement of the poll in Meghalaya’s Sohiong constituency.
In Nagaland, voting is being conducted at 2,291 polling locations, of which 196 are run by female poll workers and 10 by individuals with disabilities. In Nagaland, 640 voting places have been designated as “vulnerable,” and 323 as “critical.” Similar to this, 3,419 voting places were set up in Meghalaya, with more than 500 of them being run by women.
Rajiv Kumar, the chief election commissioner, commended voters and poll workers for their heroic efforts in ensuring a peaceful election process. More than 23 times as many seizures occurred during the 2018 Assembly elections as a result of the Election Commission’s emphasis on inducement-free elections. There will be no re-voting at any of the 5,710 polling places.
In conclusion, it is noteworthy that elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya were conducted peacefully and with a high voter turnout. The people participated overwhelmingly, and the Election Commission’s efforts to ensure a fair and free election were successful.