Tura, Oct 14: Delayed for almost a decade, elections are finally taking place for the executive committee of the “Hindu Shamshan Bhoomi Committee” of Tura after a long legal battle between warring factions over control of the body.
The Meghalaya High Court recently passed an order directing the district administration to conduct the elections through secret ballot on October 19.
Counting of votes will take place on October 21.
The court has appointed the Superintendent of Police, West Garo Hills, to be the Returning Officer for the elections and the district magistrate to ensure a smooth conduct of the polls.
The Hindu Shamshan Bhoomi Committee play an active role in the community as it deals with various functions, including the smooth running of the cremation grounds in Tura.
Hindu voters from North and South Tura constituencies will be able to exercise their franchise at their respective polling stations situated at Tura Govt. College, Hawakhana and Police Public school in Tura Bazar.
The election will elect the executive committee that includes: president, vice-president, general secretary, secretary, joint secretary, and treasurer/accountant. In addition, 15 executive members will also be appointed.
The Hindu Shamshan Bhoomi Committee has been in existence for several decades but internal feuds had led to cancellation of the last elections, sometime in 2016-17.
The Tura Municipal Board conducted the elections in 2021, forming an adhoc committee to take over the management of the cremation ground. But the incumbent executive committee rejected the validity of the adhoc committee and filed a case in the High Court.
The Meghalaya High Court then cancelled the constitution of the adhoc committee.
