SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma is working on a representation to be submitted to the Prime Minister urging the Central Government that temporary residents of the State must not be allowed to enroll in the electoral roll of the State.
Talking to newsmen here, Sangma said he would make the presentation before the Prime Minister to bring certain clauses in the Public Representation Act to do away with the trend of giving voting rights to temporary citizens of the State.
The Chief Minister said that the trend of allowing any temporary citizens of the State to vote in elections needs to be examined.
According to Sangma, the Government is working out on the representation and he would write to other states of the North East to approach the Centre jointly on the request.
“Our representation will be specific to the need of our people. If it is accepted, many of the concerns will be addressed,” he added.
He questioned on the viability of the judgement of a person who comes to the State for few months and participates in the election of a representative even as he said that right of franchise should be linked with responsibility.
He recollected that when he was contesting MP elections, a group of people came to him and claimed that they could provide him 300 votes if he was willing to pay money to them and Sangma told them that he does not want their support.
He said that the present system of allowing temporary citizens to vote in elections defeats the spirit of electoral representation and promotes corruption.