Shillong Feb 28: Voting in 59 Assembly seats in Meghalaya recorded a turnout of 84.86 per cent, an official said here on Wednesday.

Excluding Williamnagar seat where the election was adjourned following the killing of NCP candidate, Jonathone N. Sangma, 15,35,846 out of 18,09,818 voters casted their votes in 59 Assembly seats and 3024 polling booths on Tuesday.

The state had recorded a turnout of 86.82 per cent in the last Assembly elections in 2013.

Mookaïaw Assembly seat recorded the highest turnout at 93.21 per cent, and North Shillong seat the lowest, just 60.79 per cent.

Out of 8,96,135 men, 7,47,335 of them casted their votes which accounted for 83.40 per cent, while 7,88,511 out of 9,13,683 women exercised their franchise which accounted for 86.30 per cent.

Polling was held in 3,024 polling booths, repolling was necessitated in one polling booth at Kyndong Tuber under Raliang Assembly seat in West Jaiñtia Hills district.

Meghalaya chief electoral officer, F.R. Kharkongor told reporters here on Wednesday due to technical snag and human error, electronic voting machines and voter verifiable paper audit trails failed to function several times.

The re-polling will take place on Thursday from 7 am to 4 pm.

Polling in seats under Shillong city except West Shillong, witnessed a turnout below 70 per cent.

While West Shillong constituency recorded a turnout of 73.02 per cent, East Shillong recorded 69.13 per cent, North Shillong 60.79 per cent, and South Shillong 64.16 per cent.

But seats adjacent to the city, like Pynthorumkhrah, Mawlai, Mylliem and Nongthymmai saw a turnout of 76.56 per cent, 78.52 per cent, 67.12 per cent and 69.96 per cent respectively.

Kharkongor however said that overall, the turnout was healthy one.

On low turnout of voters in urban constituencies, Kharkongor said, “Traditionally, the turnout in urban constituencies had been always there.”

But voters in rural constituencies showed more enthusiasm than urban voters. The turnout was recorded close to 90 per cent in many constituencies in rural areas, while the turnout in as many as 13 constituencies recorded more than 90 per cent.

The only constituency in rural areas with a low turnout is Ranikor which recorded just 62.83 per cent.

District wise, the turnout among the 11 districts showed that South West Khasi Hills district which has two constituencies recorded the lowest only 75.08 per cent, and South West Garo Hills district having three Assembly segments recorded the highest turnout of 91.15 per cent.