HAFLONG, Oct 31 � The Dima Hasao Autonomous State Demand Committee and Dima Hasao BJP District Committee has strongly opposed the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council Executive Committee�s decision to request the Government of Assam and the Governor of Assam to defer the Council Election and to extend the present term of Council for a period of Six months with effect from December 2012 after the expiry of present term and elections to be held only during the month of June 2013 and demanded timely election to the DHAC.
It is learnt that the Executive Committee of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council on September 26 last discussed the issue of holding of election to Dima Hasao Autonomous Council. In this regard as per rules for holding of elections, the process of holding election from the initiation needs a long period of time and holding of council election during the month of December 2012 or January 2013 which seems to be not possible in time. In this regard, it was also discussed that the main festival of Dimasas (which is the major tribe of Dima Hasao District) �Bushu Dima� falls in the month of January every year and it continues for at least 10 to 12 days and it is celebrated throughout the district in all Dimasa villages and thereafter the Central BUSHU is also celebrated in all major places of the district in different dates till the end of February. Further the HSLC and HS Examination 2013 are also to be held during the last week of February or early March 2013 and holding the election during the month of March 2013 is also not wise as all the development officers and staffs will be busy with the financial year ending. Therefore the executive committee discussed and decided to request the Government of Assam and Governor of Assam to defer the Council Election and to extend the present term of the Council for a period of 6 months with effect from December 2012 after the expiry of present term and election to be held only during the month of June 2013.
Rathindra Thaosen, president, ASDC Dima Hasao district committee talking to the media on Monday said ASDC will not sit silently if the term of the DHAC is extended or the election to the Council is deferred. He said that the ASDC has been demanding holding of elections to the DHAC in time so that people�s mandate is respected. In a democratic country if the election is deferred or the term of government is extended it would be an insult to democracy. They warned that if elections to the council is deferred or the term of DHAC is extended they would be compelled to approach the court. They further said now the situation in Dima Hasao is the most conducive one to hold elections, and therefore they demanded that the elections be held during February 2013. Otherwise, they will launch a vigorous agitation and if required they would also knock the door of Dispur.
Francis Phoithong, vice-president, Dima Hasao BJP District Committee on the other hand termed the deferring of election to DHAC or the extension of term of present DHAC Executive Committee as �murder of democracy�. He said it was the age-old tradition of the Congress party to extend the term of the Congress ruled government of DHAC. For example the Congress had earlier ruled the DHAC for 9 years from 1987 to 1996 by extending the term of council for four years, he said.
