Sunday, March 2, 2008 (Shillong)

All arrangements are in place for Monday's Meghalaya assembly election, which will decide the fate of 331 candidates, including six former chief ministers.Amid tight security, over 12 lakh voters are likely to exercise their franchise to choose 59 representatives to the 60-member House.Election to Baghmara assembly constituency has been postponed to March 22 after the death of Congress contestant S Sangma.Six former Chief Ministers - D D Lapang, Purno A Sangma, Salseng C Marak, E K Mawlong, F A Khonglam and J D Rymbai -- are in the fray.All Ministers except R G Lyngdoh, who holds the education portfolio in the Congress-led Lapang government, are seeking re-election.''Tight security arrangements have been made with the deployment of adequate para-military forces. Thirty-nine election observers will oversee polling,'' Chief Electoral officer P Naik said.Security has been beefed up along international and inter-state borders to prevent entry of anti-social elements.Out of 1600 polling stations in the state, 635 have been identified as hyper-sensitive and 194 sensitive.Arrangements have been made for videography in nearly 460 ''critical'' polling stations, Naik said.