Our Bureau

 SHILLONG/TURA: Two cabinet ministers — Ampareen Lyngdoh and John Antonius Lyngdoh – were among 12 candidates who filed nominations for February 23 Assembly elections in the State on Wednesday, the day the Election department set the poll process rolling by issuing election notifications.

Urban Affairs Minister filed her nomination papers for the Shillong East constituency while Social Welfare Minister would contest from the newly-delimited Mawphlang constituency.

Apart from them, former minister, Pynshai Manik Syiem and his daughter and Member of the District Council, Teilinia Thangkhiew (both independent), filed their nominations separately for the Mawphlang and Mylliem seats here respectively.

The sitting Congress legislator from Laitumkhrah was the first one to file her papers. Ampareen reached the office of the Returning Officer, East Khasi Hills much before the scheduled time.

The sitting Congress legislator who is known for her punctuality finally filed her papers after waiting for nearly half-an-hour.

When asked if there is any specific reason for being the first to file her papers, Ampareen, whose father Peter Marbaniang was an MP and her brother RG Lyngdoh was a former Home Minister, said, “It has been the tradition of my family to be the first in filing of the nomination papers”.

The other candidates who filed their nominations from the constituencies in East Khasi Hills are Congress candidate from Mawryngkneng Pynehborlang Mukhim, UDP candidate from Sohiong Breston Kharbuli and NPP candidate from Shillong North Dr PM Passah.

In Ri-Bhoi, Congress candidate from Jirang Barnabas Nangbah filed his papers on the first day. In South West Khasi Hills, former UDP Mawkyrwat legislator Bires Nongsiej was the only one to file papers on the first day.

Meanwhile, no candidate submitted nomination in Jaintia and West Khasi Hills on Wednesday.

In Garo Hills, the sitting Congress MLA Sayeedullah Nongrum filed his nomination for Rajabala constituency while former minister Atul C Marak (Independent ) filed his nomination to contest from Selsella constituency.

Another Independent candidate who filed his papers was Sylvester Bulu Sangma for Phulbari constituency.

South West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills districts drew blank on the first day of filing nominations.

Poll Observers arrive: Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer, Prashant Naik has said 13 poll observers arrived here on Wednesday.

“20 odd general observers would be here after scrutiny and withdrawal processes are over,” he said.

“The expenditure observers would hold a meeting with political parties on various issues here tomorrow,” he added.

“10 companies of paramilitary forces, out of the requested 76 companies, also arrived today. The other contingents would be arriving in phases and would pan out throughout the state for election duty,” Naik infomed.

Expenditure observer: Meanwhile, Durgesh Sumrott and KVG Prasad have been appointed as the expenditure observer for different constituencies for the upcoming elections. Any person who desires to meet the officials can contact the protocol officers.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The two sitting legislators-Ampareen Lyngdoh and John Antonius Lyngdoh who filed their nominations on Wednesday expressed confidence on retaining their seats in the upcoming Assembly election in the State.

Ampareen who will contest from Shillong East said, “I would be more than happy if I get a chance to serve the people of the State again.”

The sitting Laitumkhrah legislator who is also the Urban Affairs Minister is up against Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong.

Sitting Nongspung legislator John Antonius Lyngdoh who will contest from Mawphlang said the efforts put in by him for the development of the constituency would ensure his return to the Assembly.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday convicted two more persons, who are relatives of the former NEC official, VK Lyngdoh, in connection with siphoning off several crores of rupees meant for cultivation of medicinal plants.

Earlier, the court had convicted three NEC officials in connection with the case.

The case dates back to 1997-98 when the Centre sanctioned money for plantation of agar and rubber worth Rs 20 crore under NEC scheme to disburse the same for the Northeast states.

However, the money was allegedly misutilized by these three officers of NEC resulting in providing undue financial benefits to one of the relatives of the NEC official.

The CBI registered three cases in which Takap Ringu, the then Secretary of NEC, Jatin Dutta , Under Secretary, Planning and VK Lyngdoh, the assistant research officer, NEC, were found to be involved , along with some relatives of the officials who took the grant-in-aid.

The CBI found that the grant-in-aid was disbursed to relatives and friends by the officers violating the stipulated guidelines and also by entering into criminal conspiracy and misusing the official position. Moreover, money disbursed was not used for the purpose for which it was sanctioned.

In 2004-05, a Special Judge of CBI in Shillong had convicted three officials for two years of imprisonment. The officials later got bail and hence they did not undergo imprisonment. However, the relatives to whom the money was paid were not punished.

The court, while taking up the case on Wednesday convicted KM Roy and Darlin Pyngrope ,who happen to be father-in-law and mother-in -law of VK Lyngdoh.

The court also asked three officials to surrender before the CBI trial court here on February 19.

Meanwhile, the quantum of sentence to the relatives of the NEC official will also be decided by the Court on February 22.

When contacted, the CBI counsel and senior prosecutor, Advocate VK Jindal confirmed the development.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: UDP candidate from Sohiong Breston Kharbuli has said that the lack of development in various parts of the constituency would bring downfall of the sitting Congress legislator HDR Lyngdoh.

“There is a strong wave for a change. People now want a new representative,” Kharbuli told reporters after filing his nomination papers here on Wednesday.

Despite representing Sohiong in the Assembly for two decades, he said the sitting Congress legislator has failed to take any initiative for the overall development of the constituency.

“Till now, there are many villages which do not have any proper road. What hurts most is that there are many under-privileged families in the constituency who are struggling for their livelihood,” Kharbuli said.

“Even though I am contesting on a UDP ticket, several political parties are backing me in this election. This itself is an indication that the voters desperately want a change,” Kharbuli said.

When asked if Sohiong will witness a contest between the sitting Congress legislator and UDP’s Nonspung legislator John Antonius Lyngdoh, he said, “It is true that I am related to the sitting Nongspung legislator, but it is misleading to say that it is a contest between two sitting legislators.”

Draison’s plea: UDP candidate from Nongkrem constituency Draison Kharshiing on Wednesday said that youth in the Nongkrem constituency need to come forward and play an active role in the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for February 23.

Kharshiing said that the constituency lacks development while informing that there is no higher secondary school in the area.

The UDP candidate claimed that that 17 out of the 19 Congress units in the constituency are rallying behind him. Nongkrem is heading for a triangular contest between the UDP, Congress, represented by Lambor Malngiang and HSPDP, represented by sitting legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: A day after the East Garo Hills district administration booked the jailed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) chief Champion Sangma under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA), West Garo Hills followed suit even as his lawyer decided to challenge the orders.

West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi informed that the GNLA chief has been booked under the MPDA on the basis of cases registered against him in various police stations of the district.

Earlier on Tuesday, the East Garo Hills District Administration had booked Champion under the MPDA for various charges including waging war against the country and heading a banned organization.

“We will challenge the orders as per law,” Champion’s counsel Sujit Dey said on Wednesday.

Under the MPDA, a person is detained for a maximum of three years and the accused can get bail only after an Advisory Board chaired by a retired Judge gives a decision on the matter.

The GNLA chief has been booked in nine cases – four in Tura, two in Williamnagar, two in Nongstoin and one in Mendipathar.

Meanwhile, the prosecution on Wednesday produced two witnesses who were examined before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

Champion, a former DSP who had co-founded the GNLA in 2010, was arrested on July 30 last year from Umkrem Pyrdiwah, after he was pushed back by Bangladesh authorities.

From Our Correspondent

 NONGSTOIN: In complete defiance of the Supreme Court ban on the commercialization and use of charcoal, trucks in West Khasi Hills District can be seen ferrying the material almost everyday.

One such truck bearing registration no AS01DC- 5072 skidded and capsized on the road between Nongstoin and Rambrai on Tuesday. Fortunately the driver and his assistant escaped unhurt.

Media reports have in the past regularly brought to the notice of the authorities vehicles openly transporting timber and charcoal. However, the culprits roam scot free even as the Forest Department failed to control the menace.

Trucks carrying timber are also a common sight on NH-44(E) from Nongstoin to Shillong.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) general secretary Poonam Rani Wangkhem, who is the in-charge of women’s cell of Congress in Meghalaya, has admitted that the ‘disastrous distribution of tickets’ by the leadership has compelled several prominent leaders to leave the party.

Addressing members of the Shillong North Mahila Block Congress on Wednesday, Wangkhem regretted that several ticket aspirants, who were initially projected as party candidates, lost in the race and eventually left the Congress.

It is learnt that the AIMC general secretary was annoyed by the decision of Congress leadership to deny tickets to prominent women aspirants namely State Mahila Congress general secretary Pelcy Snaitang and former Pariong Congress legislator Irin Lyngdoh.

Both Snaitang and Lyngdoh will contest against the party’s official nominee as Independents from Mawshynrut and Mawthadraishan respectively.

Wangkhem, however, maintained that in politics, situations like the present were at times unavoidable.

Shillong North constituency Congress candidate Roshan Warjri who also addressed the gathering said that the Congress is the only party which can provide a stable government to the State. “After my long association with the regional forces, I have realized that there is no other party apart from the Congress which can rule the State better. For peace and development, the State requires a party with a national outlook,” Warjri said.