SHILLONG, Dec 10: Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma has ridiculed the state government for delaying the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections citing COVID-19 pandemic and surge in cases as reasons.
“The state government has unnecessarily delayed the GHADC elections which was due in October. We have appealed to the Governor that there is no reason for further delay and the election must be held at the earliest,” Sangma said after his meeting with Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday.
Recalling that during their time in the government they had also deferred the ADC elections, Sangma said that the reason was entirely different then.
Sangma informed that following suspension of operations with ANVC and signing of the text settlement, there was a provision to increase the number of seats in the ADCs, creation of new departments and strengthening the existing ones.
“After we announced elections we received a letter from MHA which informed the government that since the text settlement has been signed and for its implementation certain provisions of the Sixth Schedule needs to amended by Parliament it would be appropriate for the state to postpone the election to GHADC,” Sangma recalled.
“However, the present context is different and we don’t find any reason why elections should be delayed. They had given the reason as surge in number of cases which is ridiculous and cannot be termed as a scientific and realistic decision and therefore there should not be any further delay in holding GHADC elections,” he added.
