At least 34 Assembly constituencies in Meghalaya have been identified as “expenditure sensitive” and strict monitoring will be observed in those segments, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) F.R. Kharkongor said on Thursday. Election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27.

“We have received reports that in at least 34 Assembly constituencies across the state, the use of money is very high, and security personnel would be deployed and the model code of conduct would be enforced strictly,” Kharkongor told PTI.

He said 747 polling booths are “vulnerable” and 399 polling booths have been identified as “critical” for various reasons.

The Election Commission has instructed to strictly monitor the situation and observers which include General Observers, Expenditure Observers and Police Observers would be deployed to curb the violation of the Model Code of Conduct across the state.

The CEO informed that as many as 120 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) would be deployed in the upcoming Assembly polls.

At present, 40 companies of CAPF including 10 companies of existing CAPF are already in the state, adding that a close watch is being kept on trouble mongers and history-sheeters ahead of the Assembly polls.

“A list of the trouble mongers has already been compiled. These trouble mongers and history-sheeters and known miscreants have already been identified at the micro level. They will be bound under Section 107, if they misbehave or cause any tension among the electorate,” he stated.

The gazette notification for the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly election will be issued on January 31.

Heroin seizure

Two persons, including a woman, were arrested on Thursday after heroin worth over Rs 1 crore was seized from their possession in RiBhoi district, officials said.