SHILLONG, SEPTEMBER 28: Bypoll to the seven vacant seats in the two Autonomous District Councils in Meghalaya will be held on December 13 and the Model Code of Conduct will come into effect from November 21, District Council Affairs minister Prestone Tynsong said today.
The seats fell vacant after seven of the eight legislators who held two elected posts in the state, resigned after the Governor gave his assent to a bill preventing them from doing so.
The District Councils Affairs Department notified the date for polls after Governor V Shanmuganathan approved the calendar fixed by the government, he said.
“The department has fixed November 21 as the date of filing of nominations by the candidates and the Model Code of Conduct will come into effect that day,” Tynsong said.
Stating that the government was committed to ensuring MCC in the same pattern as of the Election Commission, he said the polls were expected to be held in a fair, free and peaceful participatory manner in all the seven seats. The expenditure for the entire exercise was estimated at Rs 2.15 crore.
The Congress-led government introduced and passed the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Amendment Act, 2015 with an aim to prevent legislators from holding two elected posts.
The bypoll was necessitated after seven out of eight MLAs resigned from the membership to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council.
Congress legislator P N Syiem defied the Bill and did not resign. He continues to hold both memberships and is the chief executive member of the KHADC.
