The Chief Executive Member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Benedict Marak, has appointed three MDCs to fill the vacancies recently created in council bodies.
Through a notification today, Pardinand D Shira was named chairman of the Garo Hills Growers’ Association, Habibuz Zaman of the Planning Advisory Committee and Sanjay Koch of the Forest Advisory Committee. They replace Linekar K Sangma, Sengchim Sangma and Aktar Ali respectively.
Marak is currently involved in a fight to hold onto his seat, as opposition within his own National People’s Party has emerged to the way he runs the council.
His administration was even criticised by Chief Minister (and NPP leader) Conrad Sangma for using tied funds from the central government to pay pending salaries of GHADC staff, a move that could threaten future funding from the Centre.