34 constituencies in Meghalaya ‘expenditure sensitive’: CEO

Shillong: At least 34 assembly constituencies in Meghalaya have been identified as “expenditure sensitive” and strict monitoring will be observed in those segments, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said on Thursday.

Election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27.

“We have received reports that in at least 34 assembly constituencies across the state, the use of money is very high, and security personnel would be deployed and the model code of conduct would be enforced strictly,” Kharkongor told.

He said 747 polling booths are “vulnerable” and 399 polling booths have been identified as “critical” for various reasons.

The Election Commission has instructed to strictly monitor the situation and observers which include General Observers, Expenditure Observers and Police Observers would be deployed to curb the violation of the Model Code of Conduct across the state.

The CEO informed that as many as 120 companies of CAPF would be deployed in the upcoming Assembly elections.

At present, 40 companies of CAPF including 10 companies of existing CAPF are already in the state, adding that a close watch is being kept on trouble mongers and history-sheeters ahead of the polls.