Gauhati HC directs Assam govt to conduct NC Hills Council election by Feb 15

The Gauhati High Court Thursday directed the Assam government and the State Election Commission to complete the process of election of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council by February 15 next year.

The direction came on a PIL by former chief executive member of North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council Samarjit Haflongbar who said that the term of the council expired on June 3 but the state government extended it by six months by a notification dated May 31.

The government had cited the engagement of most of the officers and staffs of NC Hills in the updating process of the National Register of Citizens as the ground for the extension.

Haflongbar in his PIL challenged the extension notification and also sought a direction for holding early election of the council.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A S Bopanna and Justice Arup Kumar Goswami after hearing the PIL directed the state government and the State Election Commission to complete the process of election by February 15, 2019 and disposed of the petition.

B D Das, Senior Advocate and Desrindao Thaosen, Advocate appeared for Haflongbar, while D Saikia, senior Additional Advocate General appeared for the state.