TURA, Oct 22 � The Council of Nokmas and the A�chik Senior Citizens Forum of Tura has refuted the claims made by Meghalaya GAD Minister Prestone Tynsong that the two organisations have agreed to the government decision to hold civic elections in the Garo Hills.
The Nokma Council has denied giving a permission to the government for holding civic polls. �The Council of Nokmas has laid down eleven terms and conditions to be included in the Meghalaya Community Participation Bill of 2010 and some of these conditions are that the powers and functions of A�king Nokmas falling under the municipal area should not be infringed upon,� stated Secretary of the Nokma Council Charles G Momin.
They also demanded that all Nokmas under the municipal area should be made the ward committee members and some of them as ward commissioners and all members and commissioners ought to be from the Garo community alone. They further sought exemption from payment of house holding tax.
�We will not co-operate with the government in this election until and unless the demands are met,� said the Council of Nokmas.
Meanwhile, the A�chik Senior Citizens Forum has also issued a communique mentioning that it cannot agree to the holding of municipal elections without conceding to the terms and conditions put forward by the Forum.
�The forum has laid before the government 13 terms and conditions for resolving the issue,� stated the Forum adding that a meeting with the government�s Principal Secretary P Naik at Tura on the October 25 turned inconclusive because he was unable to give replies to constitutional matters since the case is subjudice.
�The High Court is yet to give its verdict so how can the elections be held now?� questioned the senior citizens.
NGOs in East Garo Hills have also opposed the proposed polls scheduled for October 29 for Williamnagar and Resubelpara municipal boards.
