Shillong, July 17: The voting percentage for the Presidential election in Meghalaya was 86.6 per cent as 52 out of 60 MLAs cast their vote on Monday.
The voting was held at the Annexe Hall of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Rilbong from 10 am to 5 pm.
The election will decide the fate of NDA nominee, Ram Nath Kovind and UPA candidate, Meira Kumar.
Counting of votes will take place on July 20. The value of vote of one MLA in Meghalaya is 17.
Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer, F.R. Kharkongor said that 52 out of 60 legislators cast their vote which accounted for 86.6 per cent
Kharkongor said that the eight MLAs who did not come for voting include four MLAs of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), two Independents, and one each from the Congress and United Democratic Party (UDP) did not come for voting.
The opposition HSPDP MLAs, Ardent Miller Basaiwmoit, K.P. Pangniang, Witting Mawsor and D. Jyndiang did not participate in the Presidential election in protest against the candidature of both Kovind and Kumar.
Jailed MLA, Julius Dorphang, who is accused of raping a minor did not apply for voting.
Dorphang, the MLA from Mawhati constituency is supporting the Congress-led government.
Congress legislator, M.M. Danggo who is also the PWD (Roads) minister, could not come for voting as he is undergoing treatment outside the state.
One Independent, Justine Dkhar who also supports the Congress-led government could not come for voting, besides Opposition UDP MLA, H. Brolding Nongsiej.
Including the Speaker, Abu Taher Mondal, the Congress has 30 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma cast his vote at around 10.45 am, officials said.
Suspended Congress MLA, P.N. Syiem who is also the Chief executive Member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council was the last voter. He cast his vote at around 4.30 pm.
Meanwhile Kharkongor said that the ballot box containing the votes of 52 MLAs has been sealed and kept in a strong room.
The ballot box will be taken to New Delhi on Tuesday morning by the Election Commission’s observer for Meghalaya, S.K. Mittal.