Opp skips Ampareen’s meet on municipal poll

SHILLONG: The Urban and Municipal Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Monday convened a meeting of the legislators falling under Municipal areas to discuss the implications of Supreme Court order on holding Municipal polls, but the MLAs from the Opposition were not present to discuss the implications of Supreme Court order on holding Municipal polls. Sources said that only one or two MLAs from the ruling front attended the meeting while others were either busy or out of station. According to sources, the agenda of the meeting was to gauge the mood of the legislators and to get their feedback on matters related to holding the Municipal polls so that the state government can file an appropriate affidavit before the High Court of Meghalaya where a PIL regarding the matter is pending. The Urban Affairs Minister is likely to call the meeting of legislators in city again before filing the affidavit, sources said, adding that the matter will come up for hearing in the High Court on May 10. Earlier on April 19 this year, the High Court had taken exception to the stand of state government for not holding municipal polls in the State. The Division Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya expressed its displeasure over the State government delaying in fulfilling its duty to hold the elections. ) However, during the hearing, the State government pointed out that attempts to hold elections were made by the government though the Supreme Court had passed the order in 1999, to hold elections within six months. The government also informed the Court that though election was fixed on November 25, 2000 it could not be held as no nomination was filed. But the observation of the High Court was that despite clear mandate of the applicable laws and the order of the Supreme Court, “the stand on the part of the Government is of want of clarity, the only deduction could be of the government attempting to avoid its constitutional obligations and then, attempting to come out with pretence”. The state government counsel, however, had sought more time to place its specific affidavit in response to the PIL.