The State government has given indications that elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) will be held within March 2025.
The signal about the elections came in the form of an official notification issued on November 19 by the Secretary of Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department Cyril V D Diengdoh.
As per the notification, the services of all the Meghalaya Civil Services Officers posted in the districts, civil subdivisions and blocks are partially placed at the disposal of District Council Affairs Department for appointment as returning officers, electoral registration officers and assistant electoral registration officers “for the ensuing general election to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, 2025”.
The term of the present houses in KHADC and JHADC expired on March 5, 2024. However, the State government decided to prolong the tenure of the existing houses due to delimitation of constituencies.
Due to the delimitation exercise, the tenure of the present house in KHADC and KHADC was extended for a period of six months.
In August this year, the State government again extended the term of the present houses of the two Autonomous District Councils by another six months.
The District Council Affairs Department which has examined the two delimitation bills passed by the KHADC and JHADC decided that more time was required to prepare the modalities for holding of the elections to the two District Councils.
“The State government has decided to extend the term of the KHADC and JHADC by another six months under the provisions as per Sub Para 6 A of Paragraph 2 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and Sub Rule 1 of Rule 7 of the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Council) Rules 1951,” the notification issued in August said.
It also stated that the extension of the term of the two District Councils will be effective from September 5, 2024 to March 5, 2025.
So far, only the Voice of the People Party (VPP) has announced the list of candidates for the ensuing KHADC and JHADC polls.
The UDP is likely to announce its candidates at its general council to be held in December. The NPP however is in the process of scouting for candidates.
