Shillong, March 13: The Meghalaya unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has strongly criticised the state government’s decision to postpone the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), terming the move unprecedented and unacceptable.
In a press statement issued on Friday, NCP Meghalaya State President and former MLA O.K. Sangma said the party cannot accept the postponement of the GHADC elections midway through the process after the election schedule had already been announced.
He stated that discussions and debates had been taking place among the A’chik community for nearly a year regarding the participation of non-tribals in GHADC elections. According to him, the council plays a vital role in safeguarding A’chik culture, tribal rights, and the preservation of Nokma Akhing lands.
Despite these ongoing discussions and claims, the state government led by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had earlier announced that the GHADC elections would be held on April 10, 2026. Following the announcement, political parties began preparing for the polls and fielding candidates, with the process of filing nominations already underway.
However, Sangma alleged that the government suddenly postponed the elections without consulting political parties, creating what he described as an unprecedented situation.
He further said that the government should have carefully studied the situation through its intelligence and administrative machinery before announcing the election date.
The NCP leader also pointed out that candidates and political parties had already incurred expenses during the election process, raising concerns over who would bear the costs following the unexpected postponement.
Terming the decision as a result of what he called a “visionless” approach by the government, Sangma said the responsibility for the chaos and derailment of the GHADC election process rests with the Chief Minister.
He also demanded that Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma resign on moral grounds over the issue.
