A polling officer died in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district when the vehicle in which he was travelling overturned, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) F.R. Kharkongor said on February 26.
According to the CEO, the vehicle carrying polling officials enroute to Jangrapara LP School met with an accident at a remote village in West Garo Hills district on Saturday night.
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The other officials and security personnel reported minor injuries and were taken to Tikrikilla community health centre from where Chesham Ch Marak and his colleagues were referred to a hospital in Goalpara. Chesham, the second polling officer, who suffered head injuries was later taken to Guwahati where he was declared brought dead at the hospital, the CEO said.
The EVM machines were safely collected and secured by a sector magistrate and accompanied by security forces were taken to the concerned polling station.
“The entire election machinery in general and West Garo Hills in particular deeply condoles the very unfortunate and untimely demise of Chesham,” Mr. Kharkongor said in a statement.
“The Election Department is extending an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 15 lakh which will be paid to the next of kin,” he said.
A team of over 19,000 election officials are being deputed to man 3,419 polling stations across the state. Around 119 companies of CAPFs are being deployed in the State for the elections, he said.
Elections to the 59 Assembly seats will be held on Monday in which over 21.6 lakh registered voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. The votes will be counted on March 2.
