There will be no physical voting for the Rajya Sabha election in Meghalaya, with National People’s Party (NPP) leader James P.K. Sangma set to be elected unopposed to the Upper House after emerging as the sole candidate for the State’s lone Rajya Sabha seat. With no rival nomination filed, the election has effectively become a formality, reflecting the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance’s numerical strength in the Assembly.
On Tuesday, following the scrutiny of nomination papers conducted at the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat, Sangma’s nomination was found valid. Chief Electoral Officer B.D.R. Tiwari said, “There will be no voting for Rajya Sabha biennial elections. Rajya Sabha biennial elections the scrutiny date is 9th of June which held today and there is only one nomination and that is found valid. On 11 June once the last date of Withdrawal is over, then Returning Officer will give certificate to the candidate.”
Sangma, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance’s candidate for the biennial election, had filed his nomination on June 8. The scrutiny was carried out by Returning Officer and Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretary Malthus S. Sangma, who examined the nomination papers and supporting documents and found them to be in order.
Following the scrutiny, James P.K. Sangma said, “As per the official process the scrutiny took place today and the officers of the returning officer office check the necessary documents that I have submitted during the course of my nomination filing and every thing found to be in order and the scrutiny has given go ahead.”
With no other candidate in the fray, the June 11 deadline for withdrawal of nominations is expected to mark the final procedural step before Sangma is formally declared elected, eliminating the need for a physical vote and ensuring his entry into the Rajya Sabha unopposed.
