By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 27: Amid growing demand for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Garo Hills, the state government has said that the process would be a welcoming step aimed at strengthening the electoral process.
Addressing the issue on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who holds charge of the District Council Affairs (DCA) department, clarified that whilst the SIR falls under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the state government is bound to implement the exercise immediately upon receiving notification.
“The moment we receive a notification from the Election Commission of India, it has to be
implemented,” he said.
Further, Tynsong also ruled out any move to postpone the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), asserting that the electoral process must be completed within the stipulated time frame.
He noted that the term of the present GHADC is scheduled to end on April 18, making it mandatory for the government to ensure that elections are conducted well before that date.
“There is no question of postponing the GHADC elections. Since the term ends on April 18, the election process has to be completed prior to that,” the deputy chief minister said.
He further informed that a final decision regarding the conduct of the GHADC elections would be known very soon, once the state Cabinet takes a formal call on the matter. “The moment the Cabinet takes a decision, the public will be informed,” he added.
