Shillong, Feb 5: Given the scale of the elections covering over half the state, expenditure for the February 21st elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) has been estimated to be a little over Rs 22 Crore and additional security deployment is being made with forces from the Garo Hills region- that is free of council polls, , informed Commissioner and Secretary in-charge of District Council Affairs Department Cyril Diengdoh.
“The estimated amount for both the ADCs is about Rs 22 crore,” said Diengdoh while adding that expenditures differ from district to district based on assessments given by the respective deputy commissioners.
Assuring a free and fair poll, Diengdoh said that the state election department is fully prepared to handle the elections. He added that Meghalaya Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang has also reviewed the preparedness during a meeting held on Monday with all the concerned deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers.
“All have expressed confidence that they are fully geared up and prepared for the elections,” he said.
In regards to the deployment of additional security personnel in the poll affected areas, the commissioner & secretary said that additional manpower from the western range (Garo Hills region) will be taken to bolster the forces that are required during the polls in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region (eastern range).
“That preparation is going on and the DCs are closely working with the SPs of the districts concerned. We will get details from the police on how many additional forces they are taking from the western range. They will be taking forces from the western range to bolster the police forces in the eastern range for the purpose of elections specifically,” he said confidently, adding that deputy commissioners are conducting a continuous assessment on the number of vulnerable and critical polling stations.
“If there are any inputs based on vulnerability and critical booths, that information is shared between the DC and police and there is a strict protocol that is maintained with necessary action taken. We don’t foresee any law and order breakdown during the council polls,” strongly feels Diengdoh.
“We expect all stakeholders to cooperate and coordinate so that there are free and fair elections and peaceful elections most importantly as has been the tradition in the state of Meghalaya. We always used to have peaceful elections with the cooperation of all political parties and all candidates, the district administrations, the police, the headmen – all these stakeholders so I am sure this time also we are moving in that direction to have a peaceful election,” he asserted.
He also added that so far the department has not received any complaint against the violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).
“We don’t have any reports as of now. If there are any instances, the police and the DCs have the mechanism to check and if required they will do the seizures as per MCC to ensure free and fair conduct of elections,” he further added.
