GHADC elections to held with 29 seats

SHILLONG, NOV 18: The Meghalaya government has decided to go ahead with holding the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections only with the existing seats 29 seats next year instead of the proposed 29 seats.

Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, “We will proceed with the election in the GHADC with the existing seats.”

Earlier, the state government  which had extended the term of the GHADC to another six months (till February 17, 2015) so that the peace process with the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) is completed. The process has already been completed on September 24 this year.

One of the agreement signed between the centre, state government and the ANVC, its faction group ANVC-B ,included the increase in number of seats of GHADC .

But Sangma informed that the process of implementing the agreed text agreement will be effective only after the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule takes place in the parliament.

Sangma said that the state government would not like to extend the term of the executive committee (EC) of the GHADC further and therefore  the centre can go ahead with the process of getting the approval for amendment of Sixth Schedule in parliament  and the state will hold the GHADC elections with the existing seats.

Sangma, however, assured that the implementation of the agreed settlement for increasing of the GHADC seats will take place after the delimitation process is completed which will take time.

“The state government at its level has also engaged with the centre on the matter. Instead it is only better to allow people to have an elected body,” Sangma said while informing that the election will be held within the stipulated time (before February 17, 2015).

Sangma informed that he recently met the union home minister for necessary amendment of the sixth schedule and the MHA  will have to constitute a committee as per the agreed text of settlement.

The text agreed settlement issue will also be brought in the upcoming winter session of the Assembly, Sangma said.  He said whatever provisions is laid down in the agreed text settlement related to the strengthening of the GHADC will also be applicable to other two autonomous district councils, Khasi and Jaintia in the state.

While the seats in the GHADC will be increase from 29 to 35+5 (40), JHADC will be given an additional increase of only five seats (all based on nomination) since its area is  smaller compare to that of GHADC and KHADC.

The cabinet has also discussed on the action plan of the state government to complete the peace pact.

Sangma said, “In view of the need to meet the timeline, certain measures requires to be taken by both the centre and the state government which were spoken in detail in the cabinet.” He informed that the department concerned and in collaboration with other departments have been assigned to facilitate the completion of the disbandment of the two outfits – ANVC and ANVC.B.

Sangma said that by first week of December, the process of disbandment of the two outfits will be completed.- By Our Reporter