UDP favours anti-defection law for ADCs

SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has stressed on the need to have anti-defection law for the autonomous district councils as per the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
UDP senior working president, Bindo Mathew Lanong, told media persons here on Monday that there is a need to have an anti-defection law to bar MDCs from shifting allegiance after winning elections.
“We are all aware that due to the absence of the anti-defection law MDCs continue to shift allegiance which affects stability in the councils,” Lanong said.
He said that councils have witnessed formation of five to six executive committees during a single term, which affected their functioning.
Stating that MDCs are elected like MLAs and MPs, he said that the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule will incorporate the provisions in line with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to bar MDCs from switching allegiance.
When asked if the party would enter into any agreement with its candidates to bar them from leaving, the UDP vice president, Allantry F Dkhar, said there was no time for that, since such agreements need to be registered.
The UDP in its manifesto, which was released on Monday (See Page 3), has promised to bring an anti-defection law for the autonomous  district councils (ADC) if it comes to power.
Replying to a query if the party would follow up the much talked about Village Administration Bill, Lanong said that the UDP was the first to convene a meeting with the traditional heads and stakeholders to deliberate on it.