SHILLONG: The total number of seats in the three Autonomous District Councils will increase once the peace agreement with the ANVC is approved by the Centre.
The ANVC, which has scaled down its demand from creation of separate Garoland state for the Garo tribe, demanded enhancement of autonomy to the existing GHADC and that the number of seats in the council be increased from 30 to 40 seats.
As per the proposal submitted to the Centre, the State Government intends to increase the number of seats in both the KHADC and GHADC from the existing 30 to 40 seats. Similarly in the JHADC, the government proposes increase the number seats to 34 from existing 30.
“We have received some queries from the Centre over the composition of the ADCs as proposed in the agreed text of settlement. The Centre has sought clarification since it is fully aware that if the composition in the GHADC is increased then the same would be replicated to the other ADCs in the State,” Commissioner and Secretary in charge Political Jopthiaw Lyngdoh said here on Monday.
He said the State Government had submitted its views to the MHA on the matter related to enhancement in the number of seats in GHADC by taking into consideration the situation in the other two existing Autonomous District Councils – KHADC and JHADC.
Lyngdoh also said that the state has outlined to the MHA on the need to have uniformity on issue related to increase in the number of seats similar to the GHADC.
It may be mentioned here that the Ministry in November last year had written to the State Government seeking clarification on the ‘agreed text for settlement’ as the ministry was not clear on the demand of the ANVC to increase the number of seats in the GHADC.
From the proposed 40 seats, the ANVC wanted direct election to 35 seats, while five – comprising two ANVC members, two nokmas (traditional heads) and one woman – would be nominated.
“The KHADC will also have 40 seats like in GHADC while the seats in JHADC will be increased to 34,” Lyngdoh said.
He informed that the KHADC will also conduct elections in 35 seats while 5 seats will be nominated.
However in JHADC, out of 34 seats, elections will be held for 29 seats and five members will be nominated.
“There cannot be 40 seats in the JHADC since the existing constituencies are already very small,” Lyngdoh said.
Out of the five nominated seats in the JHADC and KHADC- one will go to minority communities like the Marngars, one seat will be occupied by a representative of the traditional heads and one seat would remain reserved for women.
“The Government would now have to decide on only of the two nominated seats,” Lyngdoh said.