Shillong: The Election Commission on Friday announced that the electorate of Ranikor Assembly constituency in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills will vote along with their counterparts in South Tura in West Garo Hills on August 23 to elect their new legislators.

On Monday, the commission had announced the schedule for the South Tura byelection. However, the commission drew flak from the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Congress for its failure to hold simultaneous polls for Ranikor and South Tura. The counting of votes will take place on August 27.

August 6 is the deadline for filing nominations, while the scrutiny of papers will be held the next day. Nominations can be withdrawn by August 9.

The Ranikor bypoll is necessitated following the resignation of senior Congress leader Martin M. Danggo from the seat. Danggo has switched over to the ruling National People's Party (NPP) after the Conrad K. Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government upgraded the Ranikor administrative unit into a civil sub-division. Danggo will seek re-election on an NPP ticket while the UDP, a constituent of the alliance, will field Pius Marwein.

Another constituent of the MDA, the People's Democratic Front (PDF) has announced the name of former Mawsynram legislator P.N. Syiem as its candidate. The Congress is yet to announce its candidate.

Meghalaya chief electoral officer F.R. Kharkongor said Ranikor has an electorate of 29,685 spread across 65 polling stations.

In the Assembly elections, Danggo, who had contested on a Congress ticket, defeated Marwein, his nearest rival. While Danggo had polled 10,952 votes, Marwein secured 8,950 votes. There were seven candidates in the fray.

Like in South Tura, the commission will use electronic voting machines and voter verifiable paper audit trails in the bypoll.

For South Tura, chief minister Conrad K. Sangma will be the NPP nominee following the resignation of former Union minister Agatha K. Sangma.

Conrad, who is still a Lok Sabha MP, took over as chief minister on March 6, and has to be an elected member of the Assembly within six months from the date of assuming the chief minister's office.