Over 80 % of the one lakh plus voters exercised their franchise in the bye-elections to three assembly constituencies in Meghalaya on Saturday, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said.
There was no report of any untoward incident during the polling in Mawryngkneng, Mawphlang and Rajabala, he said.
“The voter turnout is 80.86 % till 7 p.m. Reports are awaited from some of the remote polling stations,” Kharkongor said.
The highest voter turnout at 90.63 % was recorded in Rajabala while Mawphlang and Mawryngkneng registered 76.9 % and 75.06 % polling respectively.
Thirteen candidates are in the fray for the by-polls to the three seats.
In Mawryngkneng, ruling National People’s Party candidate Pyniaid Sing Syiem is locking horns with Congress nominee Highlander Kharmalki. There are three Independent candidates as well.
Former national footballer Eugeneson Lyngdoh is contesting the election from Mawphlang on a United Democratic Party ticket. He is up against Kennedy C Khyriem of the Congress and NPP nominee Lamphrang Blah.
In the Rajabala constituency, the contestants are Hashina Yasmin Mondal of the Congress, D Shira (UDP), Md Abdus Saleh (NPP), Kingston B Marak (BJP) and an Independent candidate.
Bypolls were necessitated in the three seats following the death of sitting MLAs.
