The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) was leading in 17 of the 59 Assembly constituencies of Meghalaya while the United Democratic Party (UDP) was leading in 9, according to the latest counting trends shared by the Election Commission on Thursday.

The counting of votes is still underway, and trends in the remaining 47 seats are not yet known. According to the data shared by the EC at 10.32 am, NPP chief and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was leading the BJP’s Bernard N Marak by 44 votes in South Tura constituency.

Also, as per the trends shared by the poll panel, the NPP’s Santa Mary Shylla was leading Congress’s Vincent H. Pala by 1257 votes in Sutnga Saipung.

The NPP candidate from East Shillong, Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, was leading the Congress’ Manuel Badwar by a margin of 212 votes.

The counting in all 13 centres commenced at 8 am. The postal ballots were counted for the first 30 minutes followed by the counting of polled votes in the EVM Control Units.

Shillong has the state’s maximum number of counting halls at 14, one each for each Assembly constituency.

West Garo Hills District Counting Centre caters to 11 assembly constituencies and is the second-largest counting centre in the state.

Election Commission has deployed 27 Counting Observers and over 500 micro observers are assisting the Counting Observers at each table.

Ahead of the counting of votes for Meghalaya assembly polls, Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma met Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Tuesday night.

Notably, Sarma is the convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

A top source of NPP told ANI that both Chief Ministers took part in a crucial meeting in a hotel in Guwahati and the meeting lasted for half an hour.

Following the meeting, the Meghalaya Chief Minister returned to Tura in West Garo Hills.

Earlier on Tuesday, Meghalaya CM hinted at forming a post-poll alliance to form the government.

Each table has a counting Observer assisted by four counting assistants.
Meghalaya recorded a voting percentage of over 76 per cent on Monday.
Polling was held at 3,419 polling stations across 59 Assembly constituencies in the state.

Of the 60 Assembly constituencies in Meghalaya, 36 constituencies fall in Khasi, Jaintia Hills region while 24 are in Garo Hills region.

However, polling for the Sohiong Assembly constituency was postponed following the demise of the state’s former Home Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate from the seat HDR Lyngdoh.