By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Meghalaya will elect its lone Rajya Sabha representative on June 18, with polling and counting slated to be completed on the same day as part of the Election Commission of India’s biennial election schedule.
Chief Electoral Officer B. D. R. Tiwari said the election notification would be issued on June 1, formally setting the process in motion. Candidates will be allowed to file nomination papers until June 8, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on June 9. The last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed for June 11.
Polling for the Rajya Sabha seat will be conducted from 9 am to 4 pm on June 18, followed by counting of votes at 5 pm. The entire election process is scheduled to conclude by June 20.
Ahead of the election, Tiwari chaired a meeting with representatives of political parties in Shillong to brief them on the election schedule, nomination formalities and voting procedures.
Election officials explained the system of proportional representation through a single transferable vote, which is used for Rajya Sabha elections, and outlined procedures relating to ballot validity, recording of voter preferences, counting of votes and determination of the winning quota.
Political parties were also reminded about the mandatory disclosure of candidates’ criminal antecedents in compliance with directives issued by the Supreme Court and the Election Commission.
Officials further clarified voting rules for legislators. MLAs belonging to recognised political parties may show their marked ballot papers only to authorised party agents, while independent MLAs are barred from displaying their ballots to any agent.
Political parties were additionally briefed on documentation required during the nomination process, including affidavits, party authorisation forms and security deposits.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, all logistical and administrative preparations, including venue inspections and coordination with stakeholders, have been completed to ensure a smooth and transparent polling process.
The Election Commission has also announced Rajya Sabha elections for one seat each in the northeastern states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, besides Meghalaya.
Polling will also be held for four Rajya Sabha seats each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, three seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and two seats in Jharkhand.