The state government is examining how and when elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), which were deferred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, can be held but any decision will only be taken after receiving inputs from the Health Department and others concerned.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said this today, adding that the District Council Affairs Department will send its proposal for elections first to the cabinet, which will ultimately decide on the issue.
Elections to the GHADC were postponed in October 2020, with Administrator’s Rule imposed for a maximum period of six months. The term of the previous GHADC ended on October 18.
Meanwhile, Sangma batted back the charge by the opposition Congress Party last month that there was no reason to delay the election.
“This was a very ridiculous statement made by them. Obviously there is an extraordinary situation – we are facing Covid, where we can’t have programmes in a normal situation, we have to have social distancing, there is a high risk for the citizens of our state, so definitely it’s an extraordinary situation,” the CM said.
