The term of the current Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) in Meghalaya has been extended by six months after elections to it were postponed following violent tensions over opposition to the participation of non-tribals in the council.
On the same day, Monday, the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the GHADC — who had signed and issued a contentious and now quashed February 17 notification declaring that the council’s executive committee had resolved that candidates for elections to the body must be members of recognised Scheduled Tribes in the state of Meghalaya — stepped down from his position ahead of an impending no-confidence motion against him in the council.
The term of the current GHADC was set to end on April 18, and the elections were scheduled to take place on April 10. The February 17 notification had been at the centre of tensions in the Garo Hills, with Garo pressure groups pushing that the requirement be enforced and non-tribals resisting it. The tensions came to a head after the process of filing nominations began last week, resulting in violence, arson and two deaths.
The election was subsequently postponed and, on Monday, the Meghalaya Cabinet approved the extension of the council for a period of six months, from April 18 to October 18.
Earlier in the day, Chief Executive Member Albinush Marak submitted his resignation from the position “on moral grounds”, citing a situation where a majority of the council’s members “no longer repose their faith in my leadership.” A special session of the 30-member council was set to take place Monday after 21 members approached the Governor, communicating that they had lost confidence in the CEM.
Marak is from the ruling NPP, and another NPP member, Dhormonath Sangma, was elected as the new CEM of the council on Monday.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said Marak’s issuing of the February 17 notification, allegedly without consulting the council, had been a prime reason for the move against him.
“Today, before the session started, the former CEM of the council submitted his resignation well before he faced no-confidence inside the house… If the CEM does not consult his own colleagues in the executive committee… That notification where he ultimately notified at his level about the ST certificate. I’m not saying it is wrong but it is not as per prescribed norms and rules. Why should he alone sign the notification? It has to be brought to the house. But he did not do it. So, 21 members of the MDC said he is not fit to continue as the CEM of the GHADC… He had to resign as a CEM who does not understand participation and discussion,” he said.
Last week, the Meghalaya High Court had quashed the notification, ruling that it “cannot pass legal scrutiny” and that a decision by the executive committee on this question would have to be subsequently placed before the District Council, then forwarded to the state government’s District Council Affairs Department and finally for assent by the Governor.
