SHILLONG: There was mixed reaction to holding council polls on February 27 at a Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) meeting on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, chief executive member HS Shylla said a section of the MDCs feel that election should be held on the scheduled date while others want it to be postponed as the Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
“Those who felt that the election should be stalled said the state government has to think twice as the expenditure is not from the state government but it is the district council who does the funding for the (council) elections,” he added.
The MDCs who were for postponement observed that if the election is to be conducted again, the district council will have to incur unnecessarily expenditure.
Pointing out that the district council is cash-strapped, Shylla said, “I am all out for extension of the polls.”
The state government said on Thursday that there would be no change in the district council election date.
According to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, the amendments would be a lengthy process as it would have to be approved in both the Houses of Parliament, besides requiring the assent of the President.
Political parties criticised
Shylla criticised political parties’ passive attitude towards the amendment saying the Union Cabinet’s approval of the changes should have been discussed as the district councils can make laws on anti-defection with the amendment to Paragraph 2 of the Sixth Schedule.
“Political parties have been outspoken about defection, especially in autonomous district councils. Without anti-defection how can they get hold of their MDCs and why criticise former colleagues if they join other parties,” he said.
“If political parties are serious about tackling defection, then they have to wait, even for a year, to frame anti-defection law so that MDCs will remain in the party,” he added.
Shylla asserted that the haste to go ahead with council election will not augur well for political parties, as these MDCs will defect to other parties under pressure.
“Political parties are not serious and they want the election to get over,” he remarked.
Regarding the increase in seats, Shylla said political parties should also consider those candidates who have to contest from seats who have a huge number of electorate while there are candidates who have to contest from constituencies that have less number of electorates.
