Last Update: January 13, 2023, 16:29 IST
The CEC said the commission has directed 16 central agencies to work in a coordinated manner in expenditure-sensitive constituencies. (Representational Image: Reuters/File)
Kumar led the Election Commission of India (ECI) team in a two-day review of election preparedness in Meghalaya. The journey ended in the day.
Registered voters living in villages along the disputed border with Assam can participate in the upcoming assembly elections in Meghalaya Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajeev Kumar said on Friday.
Kumar headed the Election Commission India (ECI) team conducted a two-day review of election preparedness in Meghalaya. The journey ended in the day.
“People living in villages along the disputed border can participate in the elections irrespective of what has happened. Both sides have held joint meetings and discussions are also taking place at senior levels. We are aware of the situation and there is nothing to worry,” Kumar said.
“There is no issue. We have reviewed the situation at our level and district officials from both sides have held detailed meetings.”
The CEC said the commission has directed 16 central agencies to work in a coordinated manner in expenditure-sensitive constituencies.
“The agencies were asked to follow standard operating procedures for proper checking of planes and helicopters coming into the state to prevent any political party or candidate from trying to lure voters with cash,” he said. Could.”
Political parties will have to publicize the pending cases against candidates with criminal antecedents at least thrice in local newspapers and TV channels and also explain why such people were nominated.
Kumar said all steps would be taken to ensure the elections were free, fair and participatory.
He said that 21 lakh voters in the state are eligible to exercise their franchise in 55 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and five unreserved constituencies.
There will be a total of 3,482 polling stations, each with an average of 620 voters, with 120 booths being managed by women teams, the official said.
A total of 81,443 voters will be eligible to vote for the first time.
At least six people, including five tribal villagers from Meghalaya and a forest guard from Assam, were killed in violent clashes along the disputed border in November last year.
Assam and Meghalaya have a long-standing dispute over 12 areas along the 884.9-km inter-state border and the site where the violence took place is one of them.
The two states had signed an MoU in March last year towards ending the dispute in the six areas.
Meghalaya was carved out of Assam in 1972 and has since challenged the Assam Reorganization Act, 1971, which demarcated the boundary between the two states.
Elections to the 60-member assembly in Meghalaya are due this year.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)