SHILLONG, July 9: The KHADC Executive Committee (EC) on Tuesday unanimously approved the report of the Delimitation Committee for readjustment of the number of voters in the 29 existing constituencies of the council.
Deputy Chief Executive Member of the KHADC, Pynshngaiñ N. Syiem told reporters after the meeting of the EC that they also decided to table the report of the Delimitation Committee on the first day of the council’s summer session from Wednesday. He said the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Constitution of District Councils) (Amendment) Rules, 2024, will be tabled for the delimitation of the constituencies for the upcoming district council polls according to the recommendation of the Delimitation Committee.
Syiem said the Delimitation Committee was unable to indicate the percentage of voters in each of the 29 constituencies as they did not receive the electoral rolls in all the districts falling under the jurisdiction of the KHADC, except for East Khasi Hills. He, however, said the Delimitation Committee made efforts to adjust the Mawlai constituency, which has the highest number of voters, by attaching some of its areas to the Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah and Jaiaw constituencies. Similarly, the committee tried to adjust the Laban-Mawprem constituency with fewer voters by attaching some areas from the Laitumkhrah-Malki constituency.
The Mawlai constituency had about 45,000 voters while the Laban-Mawprem seat had 12,000 voters during the 2019 MDC polls. “The details of the delimitation report will be made available once the report is tabled in the house,” Syiem said.
Asked if they could hold the election before the six-month extension of the present house ends, he said it would depend on the state government and Governor.
The Delimitation Committee submitted its report to the Deputy CEM of the KHADC on Monday, almost eight months after it was constituted in October 2023.
The committee is headed by chairman Stralwell Kharsyiemlieh, a retired judge of the district council court and its members are former legislator S.L. Marbaniang, retired school teacher R. Marboh, former KHADC secretary M. Kharkrang, and NEHU faculty member D.R.L. Nonglait.
After meeting Syiem, Kharsyiemlieh told reporters that they tried their best to prepare the report according to the mandate given to the committee to readjust the number of voters of the existing constituencies of the KHADC.
“We have given our suggestion in the report submitted to the Executive Committee. It is only the EC that can share the details of the report,” he said.
Opposition in JHADC
In Jowai, the Delimitation Committee of JHADC held a public hearing for 16 constituencies on Tuesday. These included Jowai-North, Jowai-Central, Jowai-South, Amwi-Khliehtyrshi, Namdong, Raliang, and Mukhla.
The public hearing was held at the District Library Auditorium at Mynthong in Jowai.
The village leaders of these constituencies expressed their views to the members of the Delimitation Committee, an independent body.
Many village leaders strongly opposed the new draft delimitation while a few others approved the division of the constituencies. The opposers said the JHADC undertook the exercise without consulting them and considering the area’s geography.
Some leaders demanded the status quo in the constituencies, threatening not to vote and intensify their protests if the delimitation idea is not dropped.
The Delimitation Committee gave the people time until 3 p.m. on July 19 to submit their written complaints. P. Shylla, the JHADC’s Delimitation Committee secretary, concluded the meeting.
