Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Elections Scheduled for April 10, Notification on March 9

The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections will be held on April 10. The schedule was approved by the Meghalaya Cabinet at a meeting held in Shillong. Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla informed that the notification calling upon constituencies to elect their representatives will be issued on March 9. The last date for filing nominations is March 16 till 3 PM, while scrutiny of nominations will be conducted the same day after 3 PM. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 17, up to 3 PM. The final list of valid nominations and allotment of symbols will be published on March 18.
Polling will take place on April 10 from 7 AM to 4 PM, and counting of votes will be held on April 14. Political parties have already intensified campaigning for the elections. The National People’s Party (NPP) has announced candidates for a majority of the seats. Meanwhile, the State Cabinet has approved the report of the Expert Committee on the State Job Reservation Policy. The report will be tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday. The Voice of the People Party (VPP) had earlier criticised the government for delaying the release of the report. The committee, headed by Justice (Retd) M. C. Garg, submitted its findings in June last year.
Constituted in 2023, the panel reviewed the existing reservation framework that provides 40 percent reservation each for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities, 5 percent for other Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, and 15 percent for the unreserved category. In another decision, the Cabinet approved the establishment of a Police Accountability Commission under the provisions of the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010. Retired IAS officer Peter Ingty will serve as Chairman, while retired IAS officer V. R. Syiem will be a member of the Commission. The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010, and cleared the transfer of the Re-organisation Cell to the Home (Political) Department.