Meghalaya Civic Polls Deferred Again

Under pressure from student and social organizations who had announced a week-long shutdown, Meghalaya government today deferred the municipal elections, slated for next month.

This is the third time in a year that the government has been forced to defer the municipal elections which were to be the first civic polls since Meghalaya attained statehood.

The protesting organizations contend that the election to municipalities will lead to erosion of powers of the traditional bodies like the tribal village chiefs.

Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today held a series of meetings at Tura with elected representatives, political parties, the protesting organizations before reviewing the law and order scenario in the three districts of Garo hills with senior officials of the administration.

After the meetings, the government decided to defer the election apprehending law and order problems due to the protests, official sources said.

The organisations included the Garo Students Union (GSU), All India Garo Union (AIGU), Federation of Khasi and Jaintia, Garo People (FKJGP) and other like-minded NGOs.

The Joint Action Committee, a conglomerate of social and student organizations, had called for a seven-day shutdown in the three districts of Garo hills from July 15.

The government had earlier notified the polls to the Baghmara Municipal Board and Williamnagar Municipal Board in Garo hills for August 6 and 15 respectively.

The Gauhati High Court had directed the state government to hold the municipal elections in the state before September.

The state government had earlier made two attempts to hold the first ever civic polls in the state in the four municipalities of Garo hills but had to abandon its plans after the election authorities were compelled to postpone the polls twice in two months since September last year in the wake of large scale violent protests.

Ever since statehood in 1972, Meghalaya has never conducted civic polls and nominated administrator of the State Government governs the Municipality Boards.