Shillong, Oct 7 (PTI) Elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) got delayed till at least early next year as the Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday approved a second six-month extension of the council’s term.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, with the council’s first six-month extension set to expire on October 17.
“There was just one formal agenda — extension of the term of the GHADC for six months,” cabinet spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla later told reporters.
He said polls could not be held earlier because of law and order issues in Garo Hills.
“We could not hold the GHADC elections earlier due to the unfortunate incident there… Its term was extended for six months. The extension now is linked to delimitation and SIR exercise,” he added.
The first six-month extension was approved in March after the GHADC elections were postponed amid violence over the participation of non-tribals in the council polls.
The dispute subsequently led to changes in the electoral framework, including provision for separate electoral rolls restricted to Scheduled Tribe voters, officials said.
The government has since been working on completing the electoral process, including preparation and revision of the tribal-only electoral rolls, they said.
With the fresh extension, the government has exhausted the maximum one-year extension permitted under the law, they added.
The GHADC polls are now likely to be held after the extended tenure ends in April next year, subject to completion of the required electoral and administrative processes.
The GHADC administers the Garo Hills region under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and has 30 seats, of which 29 are elected, and one is nominated by the governor.
Two persons were killed and several others injured when security forces opened fire to disperse a violent mob in West Garo Hills district, following clashes over the participation of non-tribal candidates in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections earlier this year.
Violence erupted in Chibinang and Tura on the night of March 9 after a former MLA was allegedly assaulted by protesters, leading to widespread arson and vandalism that forced authorities to clamp an indefinite curfew, suspend mobile internet services and deploy the Army for flag marches. PTI JOP ACD
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