Govt extends KHADC, JHADC tenure by six months
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 2: As expected, the state government has extended the tenure of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) by 6 months.
The decision was taken by the state Cabinet which met on Friday. It followed the Cabinet’s approval of the proposal for the extension of the terms of the incumbent Executive Committees of both ADCs.
After the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters the tenure of both ADCs will expire on March 4 and the period of extension will begin from March 5.
He said the state government will send this recommendation to the Governor for approval and accordingly, issue the necessary order.
Last year, the Governor had granted approval for the constitution of a delimitation committee in both ADCs and the committees are on the job, Tynsong, who also holds the District Council Affairs portfolio, said.
According to him, the decision on the extension of the terms was taken after the two ADCs had sent a proposal to the government seeking extension of time for the delimitation committees to finish their exercise. The District Council Affairs department examined the proposal and the Cabinet approved it.
Tynsong said public hearings are being held for the delimitation of the constituencies under the two ADCs. He said the government will ask them after a few months to submit a report on the delimitation and thereafter, the election process will be initiated.
Following the Cabinet’s decision, it is clear the District Council elections will be delayed. They will be held only after the constituencies are delimited. The previous elections to both councils were held on February 27, 2019 and the votes were counted on March 2.
Earlier in the day, Tynsong held a meeting with the three ADCs – KHADC, JHADC and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council – to discuss the 15th Finance Commission grant, which will be released to them soon.
KHADC Chief Executive Member Pyniaid Sing Syiem said the amount pending for all three ADCs as per the funds recommended by the 15th Finance Commission is Rs 500 crore.
Stating that the funds will be released at the earliest, he said the term of the 15th Finance Commission will expire soon and the 16th Finance Commission will be constituted.
Meanwhile, Syiem said there are some pending issues which they have already rectified and addressed with the help of Ministry of Panchayati Raj officials who had visited the state to meet all three ADCs as regards the pending proposal as per the eGramSwaraj portal.
He said the ADCs are happy with this initiative and policy as it will help them upload all proposals online in the future.
“We can now submit the proposals of the various villages and localities by uploading the same at the eGramSwaraj portal,” the KHADC CEM said.
According to him, they are trying their level best to fulfil all the requirements as instructed by the Ministry and the state government.