On Thursday, Shillong, Feb 21: The District Council Affairs (DCA) ordered re-polling at four polling stations in East Jaintia Hills after unidentified persons broke into and damaged the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The DCA informed that the polling will be held tomorrow, Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and strong security forces have been deployed.

According to DCA officials, As of 3 pm, the turnout in KHADC has reached 60 percent while in JHADC it has reached 70 percent.

Announcing the order, the Commissioner and Secretary of the DCA, Cyril Diengdoh, said, “The DCA has ordered a re-poll at the four Polling Stations of the two constituencies in East Jaintia Hills.”

The re-polling will be held at Wapung School A and Wapung School B polling stations in the Musniang-Rangad constituency and Bataw A and Bataw B in the Bataw-Lakadong constituency. All these four polling stations have been identified as high-risk constituencies.

Diengdoh said this decision was taken after receiving a report that some unidentified persons had broken into these four polling stations and damaged the EVMs.

He said the reason behind the vandalism at these polling stations will have to be investigated.

“At present, due to the damage to the EVMs, the rule allows us to hold re-poll under rule 143.B. If there is any damage to the EVMs, we have ordered re-casting of votes for a clean and fair election,” he said.

When asked, Diengdoh said, “The security forces were present at these polling stations but this was a mob who attacked the security forces and the election officers had to be evacuated to nearby medical centers because they were scared. However, the district authorities have taken action and no one has been injured. All our people were unharmed except for the damage to the EVMs.”