Guwahati: The Election Commission (EC) has ordered the sealing of Meghalaya’s international border with Bangladesh and the state border with Assam till the day of the counting of votes.
The Meghalaya Assembly polls will be held on February 27 and the counting of votes will take place on March 2.
Meghalaya shares a 445-km and an 885-km border with Bangladesh and Assam respectively.
The poll body has taken preventive measures to ensure a free and fair election to the 60-member Meghalaya assembly, slated for Monday.
Meghalaya chief electoral officer (CEO) F R Kharkong said, “Also, movement of people in the border areas would be restricted.”
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner said if unregulated movement between India and Bangladesh is allowed, there is a “likelihood of law and order problems”.
The district administration has also prohibited the movement of people within a 1km radius of the international border.
The operation of ‘border haats’ has also been suspended till the completion of the poll process in the state.