SHILLONG, OCT 2: Garo hills-based on Friday alleged illegal immigrants have enrolled their names in the electoral rolls of the district council and have become the strong vote banks for politicians because of the failure of authorities concerned to check.
“Most of these encroachers who are illegal immigrants have entered their names in the electoral rolls,” leaders of ngos said in a joint statement on Friday.
They said, “Whether they have been thoroughly checked… The answer is most probably no because they are vote banks to politicians and the returning officers have to toe the line of their political masters.”
The ngos comprising of the GSU, AYWO, FKJGP, ADE and FAF have launched massive campaigns across the five districts of Garo hills against the participation of non-tribal in the ensuing elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC)slated for October 12.
The campaign to create awareness to the people regarding the issue of non-inclusion of non-tribals in the District Council Electoral Rolls were organized at Chokpot (South Garo Hills), Chitoktak and Rongkhon Songitalgre (West Garo Hills), and Salpara – Mendhi (North Garo Hills) for past three days.
Referring to rule 128 sub-rule (3), which they alleged that the returning officers (ROs) have failed to follow by not diligently check on dubious voters, the leaders said, “It clearly states that a person shall not be deemed to have taken up his fixed habitation in the district merely by the reason of his having resided therein in connection with his civil or millitary service or in exercise of any profession or calling.”
Citing the example in the plain belts of West Garo hills, they said that there are lots of dual voters who cast their vote both in Assam and Meghalaya.
“If the dual voters are also included in the electoral rolls of the District Council, then the ROs’ have not diligently processed the electoral rolls,” they said.
Further, the leaders alleged that many Bangladeshi Muslims in Garo hills first enters Assam get a valid document and then present themselves as Indian citizens adding many lands belonging to the Garos are being encroached upon especially in places like Monabari, Ujjengre, Chibinang, Boldamgre, Jongkipara.
“These dual voters, illegal immigrants, land encroachers and squatters must not be allowed to exercise voting rights in Meghalaya because many of these people’s eligibility to vote are in question because they are not Indian citizens,” they said.
They also said, “Let alone the question of their eligibility to vote in the MLA and MP elections it is downright illegal to allow them to participate in the District Council elections which is a protected enclave that belongs only to the tribals.”
According to them, the point being the electoral roll of the Assembly Elections is used as the Electoral Rolls of the District Council.
The leaders said everyone must understand that the spirit of the Sixth Schedule is entirely focused at protection of tribal areas and interests, by allowing self-governance through constitutional institutions at the district or regional level. They added that these institutions are entrusted with the twin task of protecting tribal cultures and customs and undertaking development tasks.- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours