Govt to ask KHADC, JHADC to pass similar amendments
Shillong, March 24: A process of framing a separate electoral roll for Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) was set in motion soon after Governor CH Vijayashankar’s approval to the amendment barring non-tribals from contesting the Council elections.
Informing this on Tuesday following the governor’s assent to the crucial amendment, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge district council affairs (DCA) Prestone Tynsong said the government would also ask the ADCs in Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills to amend their rules in this regard.
However, despite the Governor’s nod to the amendment, the government would not revoke the six-month extension granted to the GHADC tenure, Tynsong said.
Expressing gratitude to the governor for his assent, the deputy chief minister said, “We are so thankful to the Governor who has ultimately approved the amendments passed by the GHADC relating to Rule 8.”
“Today, the Governor has approved it and now the amendment is in place,” he said.
Explaining that the next step is revisiting voter registration, Tynsong said, “The electoral roll has to also again be revisited in this particular case. Tomorrow, again I will have a detailed meeting and ultimately necessary instruction will be given to the GHADC.”
Informing that a separate electoral roll will be required for GHADC, he said, “It is needed because for Khasi and Jaintia district councils, we have an electoral roll of only tribal voters. Now that this amendment has taken place, we have to also make applicable the practices done by Khasi and Jaintia.”
Tynsong said the government would formally ask the KHADC and JHADC to adopt similar provisions.
“Very soon we are going to write a letter from the government side to both the KHADC and JHADC that they should also amend the very same Clause 8 of the AD Rules and send it to the Governor for approval,” he said.
The deputy chief minister also linked the reform to stability in Garo Hills, where weeks of protests forced an election postponement.
“Right now the overall law and order situation is cool and calm and I am very sure that people of Garo Hills, especially in the hilly areas, are happy because their aspiration is very clear — the demand for amendment of the AD Rules. Since the AD Rules have been amended, I am very sure that the law and order problem will no longer be there.”
