Shillong: Campaigning for the Khasi and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC and JHADC) elections, scheduled for February 21, ended on Wednesday.
During this period, all election-related activities, including public gatherings, use of loudspeakers, distribution of pamphlets, and display of flags or banners, will be prohibited.
In anticipation of the polls, the state government has declared February 21 as a general holiday for the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, affecting all districts within the region, as per the Commissioner & Secretary of the General Administration Department.
Additionally, special leave will be granted to central government employees and employees working in the Garo Hills who are electors in the KHADC and JHADC constituencies.
Ahead of the election, a total of 129 polling stations in the KHADC and 95 in the JHADC have been identified as vulnerable or critical.
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To ensure a smooth and peaceful election, Cyril Diengdoh, the Commissioner & Secretary in-charge of District Council Affairs (DCA), reassured the public that adequate security forces will be deployed.
Diengdoh shared that multiple review meetings had been conducted with district deputy commissioners, who are responsible for overseeing the election process.
He emphasised that security plans were well in place, with additional security forces being dispatched to sensitive polling stations based on input from the respective district police superintendents.
The authorities have identified 129 vulnerable or critical polling stations out of a total of 1,669 in the KHADC, and 95 out of 477 polling stations in the JHADC.
The government has made all necessary preparations to ensure a free, fair, and secure election process on February 21.
