Meghalaya defers Garo Hills district council elections due to COVID-19

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has decided to postpone the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) for an indefinite period in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and will appoint a board of administrators for the 30-member local body for six months, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.

The current term of the National People's Party-led executive committee of the council will end on October 18.

"It is not easy to conduct the polls to the GHADC in the prevailing COVID-19 situation. After taking advice from the health department, we have postponed it," Sangma said.

A board of administrators headed by the governor will take over the council for six months, he said after a cabinet meeting on Monday evening.

The cabinet has also approved a proposal for setting up of an entity to improve energy efficiency in the state.

Meghalaya Energy Efficiency Ltd (MEEL) under the power department will be set up.

The decision will help achieve efficiency in the sector, he said.

The government has also decided to establish a Central Bonded Warehouse (CBW) to increase the revenue generation of the excise department.