SHILLONG, June 13 � Meghalaya Government has requisitioned eight companies of Central Paramilitary Forces for the June 27 bye-election in Chokpot Assembly seat in South Garo Hills district.
Chief Electoral Officer Prashant Naik, said here on Friday that the Centre has agreed to the State Government�s request and the Central Forces would be in Chokpot for poll duties.
The paramilitary forces would be deployed along with the State police. Naik said, Chokpot is a �hot-bed of militants� and so the Government is taking no chances.
In fact, out of the 46 polling stations in Chokpot, 44 have been classified as sensitive and hyper-sensitive on account of militancy. The areas surrounding the constituency is the Garo National Liberation Army�s stronghold.
The bye-poll has been necessitated after the death of Clifford R Marak of the Garo National Council (GNC) on March 1 this year.
Amongst the five candidates is Marak�s widow, Kalpana D Marak who would be contesting on a GNC ticket. National People�s Party candidate, Phillipole D Marak, who lost to the former GNC legislator by less than 500 votes in the last elections, is also in the fray. Congress has fielded Bluebell R Sangma.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has notified that no exit poll can be publicised between 7 am and 5.30 pm on June 27. It has also prohibited display of any opinion poll, survey, in any electronic media for the next 48 hours after polling ends.
