SHILLONG, March 4: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Thursday decided to reschedule the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council to April 12 and the counting of votes to April 15.
“We have decided to postpone the date of elections, which was scheduled to be held on April 9. This has been done envisaging logistics and challenges because of the last phase of Assam elections on April 6,” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma told reporters on Thursday evening.
According to Sangma, ensuring proper security and transportation would be difficult if the election dates of Lower Assam and GHADC are too close.
He said that the GHADC polling date will be shifted to April 12 (Monday) and the counting of votes deferred by a day to April 15.
The date of notification will remain unchanged, the chief minister added.
Ex gratia to victims of mob attacks
The state Cabinet has approved the introduction of a scheme for granting ex gratia payment to people killed or disabled due to mob violence and lynching in Meghalaya.
“The scheme is that if a person loses his or her life, ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be given to the next of kin of the individual. In case of disability, the victim will receive ex gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh,” Sangma said.
Replying to a query, he said that the victims of the recent cases of mob violence and lynching will benefit from this scheme.
Sangma also said that the Cabinet has adopted the amendment to the Institute of Chartered Financial Analyst of India University Act, 2005.
The amendment entails changing the name of the university from Institute of Chartered Financial Analyst of India University to ICFAI University.
He also said this amendment will be placed in the Assembly budget session.