SHILLONG: The District Council Affairs department will meet next week to discuss the date of elections to GHADC.
Informing this here on Wednesday, the District Council Affairs minister HDR Lyngdoh said they have to meet to decide the election date as the six-month extension granted to GHADC would end shortly.
It was on January 8 that the State Cabinet had given extension of six months to GHADC while the elections were held in February last to elect members for KHADC and JHADC.
The Government had extended the term of GHADC for another six months expecting that the Centre will finalise the peace pact with ANVC.
However, the extension has become futile as the final peace settlement is yet to be signed between the Government and ANVC.
As per the draft peace pact with ANVC and ANVC-B signed in Shillong in January 2013, after the final signing of agreement and disbanding of both ANVC and ANVC-B, the militants can take part in the elections to GHADC. The strength of GHADC will go up to 40 from the present 30 as per the agreed text of settlement. However, for the increase of seats, the Parliament has to amend the constitution.
Pending the constitutional amendment, the state government will be compelled to conduct elections to the existing 30 seats and if the final peace agreement is signed, the ANVC members can also take part in the elections to 30-member GHADC.