Cabinet to discuss Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) Polls Issue with Stakeholders

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government on Monday decided to hold consultation with stakeholders before deciding to hold elections to the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).

The decision to take the issue before the stakeholders was taken by the Meghalaya cabinet, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed. “Since the issue is sensitive we have to carry all along and therefore consultations with all stakeholders is needed,” Tynsong told media persons.

He informed that the State government had twice tried to hold elections to the Shillong Municipal Board in the past.

“But due to some reasons elections to the Shillong Municipal Board could not be held,” Tynsong said.

The first was on November 17, 1998, and the second time was on November 25, 2000.

Tynsong said that when the Shillong Municipal Board election was held for the first time in 1998, out of the 27 wards only five wards were duly elected. These wards were – 8, 21, 23, 24 and 26.

While, when the government again tried to hold polls to the Shillong Municipal Board in 2000, only one nomination paper was filed but it was later withdrawn.

It may be mentioned that the traditional tribal institutions and social organizations of the State are resisting polls to the Shillong Municipal Board.