Shillong, October 13: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved a six-month extension of the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to allow the completion of delimitation and preparations for elections, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Tuesday.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Sangma said the government intended to conduct the elections before the extended term expired.

He explained that the delimitation exercise had depended on approval of the separate electoral roll, as proceeding without incorporating it would have affected the basis of the exercise.

According to the Chief Minister, the Governor approved the separate electoral roll around seven to ten days ago, allowing the delimitation committee to move towards completing its work.

Sangma said the extension was necessary to complete the remaining processes and was not intended to delay the elections for any other reason.

He added that electoral rolls would be prepared after delimitation was completed, following which the election process could proceed.

Expressing confidence that the outstanding work could be completed within the six-month extension, the Chief Minister said preparations might take a few months but the government intended to hold the elections at the earliest.

The extension provides additional time for the council’s delimitation exercise and electoral preparations while the government works towards conducting the polls within the revised period.