Shillong, October 7: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved a second six-month extension for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), further delaying elections to the autonomous council. The first six-month extension is due to expire on October 17. With the latest decision, the state government will have used the full one-year extension provision available under law.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, MDA spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the extension of the GHADC term was the only formal agenda taken up. “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 following law-and-order issues in Garo Hills, prompting the government to grant the first six-month extension. “As you all know, because of that unfortunate incident which happened in Garo Hills, we could not hold the election and we extended it for six months,” he said.
Shylla said the continuing delay is now linked to the ongoing delimitation and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) processes. “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.
He added that the law permits a total extension of one year in two six-month phases. “There is provision that we can extend the election in totality for one year, that is six plus six months. Keeping in mind the delimitation is still on and will complete soon, today the Cabinet has approved extension for another six months,” Shylla said.
The minister expressed hope that the pending processes would be completed within the extended period and that elections to the GHADC could be held within the next six months.
