SHILLONG, Sept 2 - Meghalaya Cabinet today prepared the by-election calendar for seven District Council seats, which would be sent to Governor V Shanmuganathan for approval.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, the proposed dates would be sent to the Governor and then the elections dates would be announced.
The seven seats have fallen vacant after the Government passed the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) (Amendment) Act, 2015.
The law bars MLAs from holding the dual post of District Councils. The seven MLAs who also held post of MDCs and resigned included Transport Minister HDR Lyngdoh (Nongspung-Sohiong), former Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai, KP Pangniang, Ardent Basaiawmoit, Metbah Lyngdoh, Brolding Nongsiej and Stephanson Mukhim.
Six of these seats are in Khasi Hills and one in Jaintia Hills District Council. Only PN Syiem, chief of Khasi Hills District Council and MLA from Mawsynram did not resign and went to Court. The High Court recently ruled in his favour which underlined that the post of the MDC does not constitute a dual post.
Meanwhile, a few out of the seven MLAs who resigned are inclined to contest the elections again.
One of the MLAs, Shullai, has also sent a request to the Government recently to restore his MDC seat after the Court verdict on the issue.
