Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly is all set to hold the presidential polls scheduled for July 18.
On July 17, Kanta Rao, the Election Commission of India observer, undertook an inspection and review of the poll preparations.
The voting will be held at the Meghalaya assembly annexe hall.
Chief Electoral Officer of the state, Frederick Roy Kharkongor, informed that the voting will be held from 10am to 5 pm.
“The observer had a detailed inspection and review with me and and assembly team,” Kharkongor said.
The CEO also said that the ballot box is under 24×7 security in the strong room.
“Polled ballot box will be taken to Parliament and counting will be undertaken nationally,” the CEO added.
Kharkongor also informed that the polling station reflects organic heritage of Meghalaya rooted in nature connected to culture using eco-friendly material and handicrafts of the state.
Meanwhile, the National People’s Party (NPP) and its allies in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), have decided to vote for NDA presidential nominee, Draupadi Murmu.
This includes the five suspended Congress legislators who had decided to align themselves with the MDA where BJP is also an ally.
West Shillong legislator Mohendro Rapsang said that all will be voting for the NDA nominee.
“Since we are supporting the government and the MDA has decided to vote for Murmu so we will go along with them,” Rapsang said.
Recently, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said that the MDA allies will be voting for the NDA presidential candidate.
However, Sangma admitted that a few MLAs from the alliance may miss the voting since they will be out of station.
In the House of 60, the MDA has 48 legislators while the opposition All India Trinamool Congress has 12 MLAs.