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Meghalaya will elect its Rajya Sabha representative on June 18, with polling and counting scheduled to be completed on the same day, according to the Election Commission of India’s biennial election programme.

Chief Electoral Officer B.D.R. Tiwari announced that the election notification will be issued on June 1, while nominations can be filed until June 8. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on June 9, and candidates will have until June 11 to withdraw their candidature.

Polling is scheduled from 9 am to 4 pm on June 18, followed by counting at 5 pm. The entire election process is expected to conclude by June 20.

Ahead of the election, Tiwari chaired a meeting with representatives of political parties in Shillong to brief them on the poll schedule, nomination requirements and voting procedures. Officials also explained the system of proportional representation through a single transferable vote, which is used for Rajya Sabha elections.

Political parties were reminded of the mandatory disclosure of candidates’ criminal antecedents in line with directions issued by the Supreme Court and the Election Commission.

Election authorities also clarified voting rules for MLAs. Legislators belonging to political parties may show their marked ballot papers only to their party’s authorised agent, while independent MLAs are prohibited from displaying their ballots to any agent.

During the meeting, election officials outlined procedures related to recording voter preferences, ballot validity, counting of votes and calculation of the winning quota. Political parties were also briefed on documents required for nomination, including affidavits, party authorisation forms and security deposits.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, preparations for the Rajya Sabha election have been completed, including venue inspections and coordination with stakeholders, to ensure a smooth and transparent polling process.

The ECI said Rajya Sabha elections will also be held for one seat each in the northeastern states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Elections are scheduled for four seats each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, three seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and two seats in Jharkhand.