Dual posts bill redundant

SHILLONG: The Prevention of Disqualification (Member of Legislative Assembly Meghalaya) Amendment Bill, 2015, or the dual posts bill, will be rendered redundant with several members of district councils cutting across party lines joining the 2018 poll race.
The Congress, whose Chief Minister Mukul Sangma was instrumental in barring legislators from holding posts in district councils, will send at least three MDCs to the election battleground next year.
The Congress MDCs who will contest the polls are Kimfa Marbaniang, PT Sawkmie and Donovan Wanlang.
Other parties whose MDCs are in the fray are UDP (Rona Khymdeit and Donkupar Sumer), KHNAM (Adelbert Nongrum) and NPP (HS Shylla). Shylla joined NPP last week.
Independent MDC PS Syiem will join NPP soon and contest the elections.
Several MDCs have joined People’s Democratic Front and its president Ivanlumlang Marbaniang said the party would release the list by the first week of November.
KHADC Chief Executive Member PN Syiem will also contest the election.
After the state Cabinet approved the dual posts bill, Syiem refused to resign from the district council despite many MDCs quitting their posts.
The then governor V. Shanmuganathan in an order based on the opinion of the Election Commission had said Syiem did not invite disqualification.
Though the order issued on May 31 was in particular reference to the KHADC CEM, this was applicable to other seven legislators who had relinquished the posts of MDCs after the passing of the controversial dual posts bill.
The state government spent over Rs 2 crore for holding by-polls which should have been avoided since there is no bar for the MDCs to contest and hold the posts of MLAs.
The constituencies that warranted by-polls were those of HDR Lyngdoh (Nongspung-Sohiong), Sanbor Shullai (Laban-Mawprem), Ardent M. Basaiawmoit (Nongkrem), K.P Pangniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam), Metbah Lyngdoh (Mairang-Nongkhlaw) and Brolding Nongsiej (Mawthadraishan).
The lone vacant seat in the JHADC was the War East constituency which was earlier held by legislator Stephanson Mukhim.