Meghalaya chief electoral officer FR Kharkongor speaks to TOI’s Chandrima Banerjee about security problems, demanding situations the Election Commission has to triumph over and preparations for polling day
On getting ready for militancy-hit areas
Militancy-prone spaces are most commonly concentrated within the Garo Hills. But even that has been controlled to a large extent. So there isn’t much of a problem from the election point of view. Another thing is that militancy, even at its peak within the early 1990s, by no means interfered with the election process. Historically, polling has always been peaceful. The fresh killing of NCP candidate Jonathone Sangma used to be an aberration, an isolated incident. And police replied very quickly. With the removal of Sohan D Shira (commander-in-chief of the Garo National Liberation Army, believed to were behind Jonathone’s killing, used to be shot down on Saturday), the threat belief has come down. GNLA itself is a spent force, with just a handful of rebels left. We are getting additional corporations of central forces, taking the whole to 106 corporations. This is far lower than the 200-300 corporations deployed for Tripura or Nagaland.
On delicate zones
Of the three,082 polling stations in Meghalaya this time, 580 were recognized as ‘inclined’, 340 were marked ‘crucial’ and 67 are ‘inclined as well as crucial’. But the method of figuring out delicate spaces is a dynamic one and will keep on converting according to the ground scenario. The final deployment shall be performed with the approval of the overall observer in rate.
On the usage of VVPAT for the first time
Initially, there used to be some scepticism among electorate. But they have been additionally curious. So we started engaging with the folks via street shows, boulevard theatre and conferences. We released movies in Khasi, Garo and English on the right way to vote on an EVM with VVPAT. We explained that it’s identical to an ATM, the place you get a slip after your transaction. So you already know that your vote did pass to the candidate you sought after to vote for. After all, voting should be by selection, not unintentionally. Through this sustained marketing campaign, now we have been ready to triumph over any apprehensions. And this time, every single polling station can have VVPAT.
On all-women polling stations
We have 74 all-women polling stations, which shall be utterly managed and run by ladies, for the 60 constituencies. Such polling cubicles will include all-women teams for accomplishing elections, which will come with a presiding officer, polling officials, micro-observers and security workforce. In Meghalaya, the choice of ladies electorate (nine,24,264) is upper than the choice of male electorate (nine,05,840). Women have always taken a proactive position within the electoral process. In reality, ladies police will also be deployed in the ones spaces.
On preparations for far flung polling stations
The smallest polling station, Kamsing, is very on the subject of the India-Bangladesh border and has simplest 29 electorate. It is not accessible via land routes and must be reached by a ship. Another far flung polling station, the furthest, is in Malikona village in Baghmara district of the South Garo Hills district, additionally very on the subject of the Bangladesh border.
On getting ready for militancy-hit areas
Militancy-prone spaces are most commonly concentrated within the Garo Hills. But even that has been controlled to a large extent. So there isn’t much of a problem from the election point of view. Another thing is that militancy, even at its peak within the early 1990s, by no means interfered with the election process. Historically, polling has always been peaceful. The fresh killing of NCP candidate Jonathone Sangma used to be an aberration, an isolated incident. And police replied very quickly. With the removal of Sohan D Shira (commander-in-chief of the Garo National Liberation Army, believed to were behind Jonathone’s killing, used to be shot down on Saturday), the threat belief has come down. GNLA itself is a spent force, with just a handful of rebels left. We are getting additional corporations of central forces, taking the whole to 106 corporations. This is far lower than the 200-300 corporations deployed for Tripura or Nagaland.
On delicate zones
Of the three,082 polling stations in Meghalaya this time, 580 were recognized as ‘inclined’, 340 were marked ‘crucial’ and 67 are ‘inclined as well as crucial’. But the method of figuring out delicate spaces is a dynamic one and will keep on converting according to the ground scenario. The final deployment shall be performed with the approval of the overall observer in rate.
On the usage of VVPAT for the first time
Initially, there used to be some scepticism among electorate. But they have been additionally curious. So we started engaging with the folks via street shows, boulevard theatre and conferences. We released movies in Khasi, Garo and English on the right way to vote on an EVM with VVPAT. We explained that it’s identical to an ATM, the place you get a slip after your transaction. So you already know that your vote did pass to the candidate you sought after to vote for. After all, voting should be by selection, not unintentionally. Through this sustained marketing campaign, now we have been ready to triumph over any apprehensions. And this time, every single polling station can have VVPAT.
On all-women polling stations
We have 74 all-women polling stations, which shall be utterly managed and run by ladies, for the 60 constituencies. Such polling cubicles will include all-women teams for accomplishing elections, which will come with a presiding officer, polling officials, micro-observers and security workforce. In Meghalaya, the choice of ladies electorate (nine,24,264) is upper than the choice of male electorate (nine,05,840). Women have always taken a proactive position within the electoral process. In reality, ladies police will also be deployed in the ones spaces.
On preparations for far flung polling stations
The smallest polling station, Kamsing, is very on the subject of the India-Bangladesh border and has simplest 29 electorate. It is not accessible via land routes and must be reached by a ship. Another far flung polling station, the furthest, is in Malikona village in Baghmara district of the South Garo Hills district, additionally very on the subject of the Bangladesh border.
‘Jonathone killing an isolated incident, polling has always been peaceful’
![‘Jonathone killing an isolated incident, polling has always been peaceful’]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
February 25, 2018
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