South Tura and Ranikor recorded a polling of 48 per cent and 46.89 per cent respectively up to 1 pm as voters of the two constituencies came out to cast their votes in the by-elections to decide the fate of eight candidates including Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma.
Also read: Slow start to Meghalaya by-poll; about 7.5 per cent votes cast in first two hours
Polling started at 7 am in both the seats amid tight security, even as heavy rain in some places like in Rangthong area of Ranikor constituency was reported in the early hours of voting, which was one of the causes for the low turnout of voters early in the day.
Also read: Meghalaya: Conrad seeks people’s mandate in by-poll today
People were not seen in long queues in many polling booths in Ranikor constituency during the initial hours.
Ranikor is witnessing a quadripartite contest where former Assembly Speaker and five-time MLA, Martin M Danggo who had quit the Congress and joined the National People’s Party (NPP) is fighting with three other opponents.
Pius Marweiñ of the United Democratic Party, former Mawsynram MLA, P N Syiem of the People’s Democratic Front and Jackuis Sangma of the opposition Congress are in the fray wanting to defeat Danggo.
Ranikor has a total of 29,670 general electors spread across 65 polling booths which include 15,183 male and 14,487 female voters.
Including 15 service voters, the total voters in Ranikor is 29,685.
Ranikor has 65 polling booths, and 10 polling stations are non-motorable.
In these polling booths, sprinters act as messengers where they collect information including voting percentage from the polling stations and share the same with sector officers stationing at the nearest motorable point.
Both Ranikor and South Tura got four companies of CAPF each.
In South Tura, 30,440 voters which include 14,966 male voters, and 15474 female voters will decide the fate of the Chief Minister and other three candidates.
Conrad, as candidate of the ruling NPP and his three opponents – Charlotte W Momin of the Congress, and two Independents – former MLA, John Leslee K Sangma and Chris Kabul Sangma are in the fray from South Tura.
There are also 37 service voters, and 35 persons with disabilities (PwDs) voters.