Election to Williamnagar Assembly seat will be countermanded following the killing of NCP candidate, Jonathone N Sangma even as the Meghalaya chief electoral officer is waiting for a postmortem report for official confirmation and to convey the same to the Election Commission.
Meghalaya chief electoral officer, F. R. Kharkongor said that Commission was already aware of the incident and a confirmation about the death of the candidate would be communicated officially after getting the post-mortem report.
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“According to rules, election in a constituency has to be countermanded in case of the demise of a candidate. After the report is sent, the Commission will take a call and fix accordingly fresh date for holding the poll in the constituency,” Kharkongor said.
Kharkongor said that the state election department is waiting for a post-mortem report from East Garo Hills district.
NCP candidate, Jonathone Nengminza Sangma who was to contest the election from Williamnagar constituency was killed on Sunday along with three others in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast at around 7.30 P M at Sawilgre village about 14 Km from Samanda block in East Garo Hills district.
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Kharkongor said that three others who were injured in the blast have been shifted from Williamnagar to Guwahati for treatment.
The incident took place when the 38-year old NCP candidate was returning to Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills from poll campaigning.
Sangma had unsuccessfully contested as an Independent candidate in 2013. He lost the elections to the incumbent Education Minister and senior Congress leader Deborah C Marak.
Kharkongor admitted that areas under Wiliamnagar constituency are highly vulnerable because of militancy.