Shillong: Elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) will be delayed further after the Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved another six-month extension of the Council’s term.
The first six-month extension is due to expire on October 17. With the latest decision, the government has used the full one-year extension available under the law, comprising two six-month extensions.
Briefing reporters after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, MDA spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the extension was approved to facilitate the conduct of the GHADC elections.
“There was just one formal agenda — extension of the term of the GHADC for six months for conducting election,” Shylla said.
He said the elections could not be held earlier due to law-and-order issues in Garo Hills following an “unfortunate incident” in the region.
Shylla said the government now needs additional time as the delimitation of constituencies and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are still underway.
“Because we have to do delimitation and SIR, and the process is still on, and the earlier six months will end on October 17, we have to extend again,” he said.
Explaining the legal provision, Shylla said the GHADC term could be extended by a maximum of one year, in two instalments of six months each.
“Keeping in mind the delimitation is still on and will complete soon, today the Cabinet has approved extension for another six months,” he said.
Shylla expressed hope that the GHADC elections would be conducted within the extended period.
“We hope within six months we can complete the GHADC election,” he added.
