Meghalaya Govt extends administrator's rule in GHADC by 2 mths

The Meghalaya government today extended administrator's rule in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), one of the three autonomous district councils, by another two months to ensure the election process is complete within October.
The term of GHADC expires on August 17, a year after the state government had extended its term thrice.
The proposal for extending the term of GHADC under the administrator rule was approved by the state cabinet in its meeting held here today.
"The cabinet has approved taking over of the GHADC administration by the Governor for a period of two months with effect from August 18 till October 21," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters.

"We have also approved the recommendation to appoint the deputy commissioner of West Garo Hills District as the administrator for the period," he said.
The calendar for the elections to the GHADC has already been worked out by the District Council Affairs (DCA) department and the notification would be notified shortly.

"The calendar is such that they will have to complete the process within October 21 and GHADC will be under the Administrator during the extended period of two months," the Chief Minister said.
In addition, DCA minister H D R Lyngdoh said the department was earlier prepared to hold the elections within the extended period (before August 17), but the state election department had requested that the elections to the GHADC should be conducted only after the recent concluded Chokpot bye-elections.

"The DCA department has worked out the modalities for conducting the elections and also proposed that the elections be conducted after extended period expired," he said.
According to him, within this extended period, the government has proposed the term of the district council would not be further extended, but has recommended that the Governor take over the administration of the GHADC during the election period.
When asked, the Chief Minister maintained the election to the GHADC would be conducted for the existing 29 seats.
The actual term of the GHADC had expired on February 17, 2014.