Whether or not the delimitation process happens soon, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) is preparing to hold elections, the Chief Executive Member, Pyniaid Sing Syiem, said today.
The term of the current KHADC ends on March 4 and elections should occur towards the end of February. However, the council has suggested that a process of delimitation (constituency boundary redrawing) takes place, which could delay the polls.
“Our tenure as MDCs will end on March 4 and the MDC election normally happens at the end of February but we are not sure when the election will happen as this will be decided by the DCA (District Council Affairs) Department,” Syiem said during the second day of the KHADC winter session here.
Informing that he took over the running of the council after many petitions had been received to redraw the constituency boundaries, Syiem said that, after thorough studies and considering the rules and regulations, it was decided that a delimitation committee should be formed.
The executive committee has written to the Meghalaya Governor about this as he would have to issue a notification to form such a committee.
Currently, some constituencies have only 12,000 voters while others have more than 50,000. Each receives an equal share in local development funding, which is unjustifiable, Syiem said.
Area-wise, too, some constituencies do not make much sense, he said, citing Malki-Laitumkhrah as an example, as its borders stretch from Lumparing and Rynjah up to Mawkasiang. In West Khasi Hills seats like Rambrai Jyrngam, Mawshynrut, Nongstoin, etc also need to be streamlined.
ELECTION OR MONOLITH FEST?
Meanwhile, opposition MDC Jambor War took a dig at the executive committee, wondering whether members would be busy preparing for the KHADC election in February or the planned Monolith Festival.
In response, Syiem said he understood the confusion but that the festival had been planned for December and then January but has had to be postponed again to February as repair works to the venue in Mawphlang will be complete by then and the KHADC is dependent on the state government for funding for the festival.
