Opposition chief whip seeks Centre's intervention

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, April 3: Meghalaya legislative assembly opposition chief whip James K Sangma sought immediate intervention of the union government for immediately announcing elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and release of rehabilitation package to cadres of the disbanded ANVC and ANVC (B).

Sangma, also opposition NPP legislator, on Thursday met the union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi to apprise him on the issues. During the meeting, he  urged the union government to intervene and call for immediate elections to the GHADC.

Sangma informed that the tenure of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has been extended thrice by Meghalaya government thereby postponing the elections of GHADC thrice. This is evidently a move only to ensure the continuity of the Congress Party led Executive Committee in the GHADC, he alleged.

"It is very sad to note that the GHADC which is elected for a term of 5 years is being extended unconstitutiolly which goes against the very Spirit of the Constitution of India," Sangma informed Rijiju.

According to Sangma, the GHADC even if the elections had been postponed for a particular reason, should have been placed under Administrator's Rule. "However, the MUA government has arbitrarily and unconstitutiolly extended the term of the GHADC thereby deviating from due Democratic process," he complaint.