Shillong: The state election department is “fully prepared” to conduct the Shillong (ST) Lok Sabha by-election, chief electoral officer (CEO) BDR Tiwari said on Tuesday. The Shillong parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of sitting MP Ricky AJ Syngkon of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) on February 19, 2026.
By-Election Timeline
“Basically, as per the mandate, it (by-poll) is supposed to happen within six months of the demise of the sitting MP of Shillong parliamentary constituency,” Tiwari told reporters. “We are fully prepared to conduct the by-election,” the CEO reiterated.
Candidates Announced So Far
Two parties have announced candidates as of now. The ruling National People’s Party (NPP), which leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government 2.0, has fielded Khasi Authors’ Society president DRL Nonglait. The opposition VPP has named Professor Batskhem Myrboh as its candidate.
Meghalaya’s Lok Sabha Seats
Meghalaya has two Lok Sabha seats, both reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates — Shillong and Tura. Tura is currently represented by Saleng A Sangma of the Indian National Congress.
