Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya in the District Council Affairs Department, Cyril V. Darlong Diengdoh on Monday said the State government has begun assessing additional security deployment following disruptions on the opening day of the nomination process for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, even as the West Garo Hills administration imposed night curfew in several sensitive villages amid tensions over non-tribal participation in the polls.
The development came after reports emerged that a candidate who arrived at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Tura to submit nomination papers on the first day of filing was allegedly prevented from doing so, triggering concern within the administration over the conduct of the election process and the prevailing law and order situation in the region.
Diengdoh said the government has reviewed the requirement of security forces after the district police sought reinforcement to ensure that the nomination process proceeds smoothly. “We have look at the force requirement, and SP has ask for more force, so accordingly we will be projections, DGP has also been appraise about the matter and more forces will be sent.”
Referring to the disruption reported at the nomination centre, Diengdoh said, “I think you are aware that one of the candidates went to file the nomination, he must have went at around 10 am or something, and the person was prevented from filling the nomination.”
He added that the State government has sought a detailed report from the district administration to ascertain the sequence of events surrounding the incident. “So this is what is happened and the DC will give us detail report, we have ask the DC to give us the report, as to what exactly transpire.”
When asked whether a First Information Report had been filed in connection with the incident, he said, “There was some report, yes.”
Diengdoh also addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the authority of the GHADC to issue Scheduled Tribe certificates, stating that the matter is currently under judicial scrutiny. “Well this matter now has gone to High Court, it is under the adjudication of the High Court, and this matter has been taken up in the High Court, so we are waiting that decision.”
Clarifying the schedule for the nomination process, Diengdoh said the official election notification was issued on Monday and the first day of filing nominations was held between 10 am and 3 pm. “So today was the first day, the notification has come out today, and as per the notification today is the first day of filing nomination between 10 am to 3 pm and the last date for filing is 16 March till 3 pm.”
He said that no candidate formally submitted nomination papers on the opening day, though several prospective candidates collected nomination forms and participated in preparatory meetings organised by district authorities. “Today none, no candidates has filed, in fact today they have taken the forms and many DCs have had meeting with political parties and giving them copies of nomination forms etc, and all other thing.”
On speculation that the government might consider extending the election schedule in view of the emerging tensions, Diengdoh said the administration is currently reviewing the situation and awaiting reports from the district authorities. “No we are assessing the situation, there is no plan as such, so we are looking at it, there is no plan, situation being asses, we are waiting for report, we will see as the situation unfold.”
Meanwhile, the West Garo Hills district administration imposed a night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am in 37 villages identified as sensitive areas after protests by non-governmental organisations opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC nomination process.
District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons and the carrying of weapons in 17 villages under Hallidayganj police station and 20 villages under Phulbari police station during the nomination period for the council elections scheduled for April 10.
The order cited apprehensions of vehicle obstruction, intimidation and communal tension in the mixed-population plain belt areas during the nomination process scheduled from March 9 to March 16.
“Any violation of this order shall attract penal provisions under section 223 of the BNS and any other relevant sections as deemed fit and appropriate,” Aggarwal stated in the order.
