Over 75 percent voters turn out in Williamnagar by-poll

The voting for by-poll in the Williamnagar Assembly seat began from 7 am on Friday.

Tight security arrangements were made for the polling.

Altogether 9 candidates are in fray.

The election for the Williamnagar seat was postponed following the death of NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma.

Sangma died in an IED explosion triggered by the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants near Sawilgre village, about 14 km from Samanda block in East Garo Hills on Feb 18, days before the Feb 27 assembly polls in Meghalaya.

Over 32,300 registered voters decided the fate of nine candidates.

Voting will end at 4 pm in all of the 58 polling stations.

The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) has fielded former MLA Marcuis N Marak, while NCP has fielded Krenila R Marak.

Marak is the wife of Jonathone N Sangma.

Apart from NPP and NCP, Congress has fielded Deborah C Marak as its candidate, who served as a minister in the previous Mukul Sangma-led government.

There were no reports of any untoward incident that happened during polling.

NCP candidate Krinila R Marak became one of the 5 early voters to receive a medal while she cast her vote at Greenyard school polling station.

Counting of votes will be held on May 1 next.

(Pictures credited by Vishma Thapa and Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)