'Will urge Centre to implement peace pact signed with ANVC'

Amid the Opposition demand of dissolving the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), whose term was re-extended for six months, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said he will urge the Centre to implement the peace pact signed with the Achik National Volunteers' Council (ANVC) and its breakaway faction, the ANVC(B).
"It is the duty of the state government to urge the Centre to complete the process of amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for implementation of the Agreed Text of Settlement," Sangma told the Assembly.
When the government decided against any extension of the GHADC term, the Centre had informed it was in an advance stage of completing the proposed amendment, he said.

"This led the state government to further extend the term of GHADC, since one of the conditions in the agreement was increasing the seats of district councils," Sangma said in response to opposition queries during Question Hour.
District Council Affairs minister H D R Lyngdoh said the government was adhering to the letter of request sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs when Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy raised questions on whether the government followed the Constitution or the MHA letter while deciding on extending the GHADC term.
"Whatever the government is doing, is totally against the Constitution," Roy said demanding immediate dissolving of the GHADC.

NPP legislator James K Sangma asked whether the GHADC elections would be held along with the upcoming polls of all Autonomous District Councils, if the amendment was not brought in the Parliament.

On this, Sangma said the government was acting on the request it received from the Centre and added the Union government was constitutionally bound to complete the process.
Earlier, Lyngdoh told the House that the question of a delimitation exercise would arise only after the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule for increasing the number of seats in the GHADC, was passed by the Parliament.
The extended term of GHADC and its members for another period of six months with effect from February 18, was due to expire on August 17, he added.