The Meghalaya government has sought additional deployment of over 30 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the by-election to the Tura Lok Sabha seat in the state, Chief Election Officer F Kharkongor said today.
The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of Tura MP and National Peoples' Party president Purno A Sangma earlier this year.
"After a meeting with the SPs of the districts concerned and top officers, the police have projected the necessity of additional deployment of over 30 companies of CAPF in the poll bound districts," Kharkongor told PTI.
The district administration and the police were also in touch with their counterparts in Assam for overall maintenance of law and order in the area for the bypoll, he said.
In all, 945 polling stations would be set up across five districts spreading over 24 Assembly constituencies for the bypoll on May 16, the CEO said.
To ensure maximum participation of voters, Kharkongor said first five early voters would be presented with a medal each.
The initiative was expected to encourage people to come out in large numbers to cast their votes, he said adding, as many as 4,725 early voters would be presented with the medals.
The NPP has nominated P A Sangma's youngest son and NPP president Conrad K Sangma for the bypoll who is pitted against the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma's wife Dikkanchi D Shira of the Congress.
In all likelihood, the bypoll would be a straight contest between the NPP and Congress as the regional parties have already indicated their support to the NPP.
The BJP is yet to announce on whether to contest the bypoll.
