SHILLONG: The State Cabinet on Thursday discussed the possible dates for holding the by-election to the vacant seats in KHADC and JHADC. Six seats in KHADC and one in JHADC fell vacant last year after the members of the district councils resigned.
Speaking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the calendar for holding the election would be forwarded to the Governor for his approval and the dates of the election would be notified once the Governor approves the same.
The chief minister refused to comment on the recent court verdict upholding the Governor’s order on the KHADC CEM P.N. Syiem’s office, saying no one can assume what the verdict of the court would be since the matter is sub judice.
He, however, said the Act related to the prevention of the disqualification of Legislative Assembly members passed by the State Legislature will decide which posts will be subjected to disqualification.
“The legislature has decided that as far as MDC is concerned, we are not going to provide any immunity to members of the Legislative Assembly and it is not linked to any other matter,” Sangma said and added that the Legislature has the prerogative to decide which post should be included in this Act to ensure that the MLAs are not subjected to disqualification for holding such posts.
“The intention of the government in passing the Bill was to give immunity to the MLAs from getting disqualified and if they continue to hold dual posts, they do it at their own risk,” the chief minister said.
Stating that KHADC had withdrawn its letter expressing its inability to spend on the by-election, District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong said, “As per the constitutional provisions, there is no specific timeline to fill the vacant seats in the Autonomous District Councils. Also, KHADC’s inability to provide fund for holding the by-election was one of the reasons for the delay.”
Seven MLAs – H.D.R Lyngdoh (Nongspung- Sohiong), Sanbor Shullai (Laban-Mawprem), Ardent M. Basaiawmoit (Nongkrem), K.P. Pangniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam), Metbah Lyngdoh (Mairang-Nongkhlaw), Brolding Nongsiej (Mawthadraishan) and Stephanson Mukhim (Amlarem) – who were holding the post of members of the district councils had resigned as MDC following the introduction of the dual posts bill last year.
Sanbor’s plea rejected
Meanwhile, the State government informed that it could not consider the request of former Laban MDC Sanbor Shullai to reinstate him as MDC.
Tynsong said the department has received a letter from the MLA in this regard. “We will communicate to him (Sanbor Shullai) that it is not possible to restore him as MDC as per the prescribed law and constitutional provisions,” he said.
