GUWAHATI, March 16 ? Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) in a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Assam today exhorted the latter to issue an additional notification incorporating a few specific measures in connection with the process of re-election of Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). It may be mentioned that the State Government by a notification HAD-9/2002/Pt-1/38 dated March 14 ordered re-election to the post of CEM of KAAC following complaint lodged by the ASDC of violation of rules in the election of CEM held earlier in January 11 last.
The ASDC called upon the Governor to review the order to allow the Chairman of the KAAC to vote in the first instance during the re-election to the post of CEM to be held on March 19 next. The ASDC is of the view that as per the rule of conduct of business in KAAC, the chairman being the presiding officer cannot vote in the first instance while electing the CEM of the Council. The ASDC in its memorandum further demanded that in the interest of maintaining transparancy in the election to the CEM post, Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) should be used, representatives of contesting candidates should be allowed to monitor the counting of ballots, an impartial observer should be deputed to witness the election process and print and electronic media should be allowed to cover the entire election process from the press gallery of the KAAC.
At the present juncture the corporation of KAAC in as follows : Congress has 13 members including the chairman, ASDC has 10 members, CPI-ML has two members and there is an Independent member. The KAAC, which was elected in January this year, has remained non-functional till date due to controversy over election of the CEM, Kharsing Terang. The ASDC had lodged complaint against the way Congress elected its CEM ?violating rules.? No party could win simple majority in the 26-member KAAC while Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 13 seats.