Shillong, Feb 17: The elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) will be held on April 10. The schedule was approved by the Meghalaya Cabinet at a meeting in Shillong.

Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the notification calling upon constituencies to elect their representatives will be issued on March 9. The last date for filing nominations is March 16 till 3 PM. Scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on the same day after 3 PM. Candidates may withdraw their nominations until March 17 up to 3 PM. The final list of valid candidates and allotment of symbols will be published on March 18.

Polling will be conducted on April 10 from 7 AM to 4 PM. Counting of votes is scheduled for April 14.

Political parties have stepped up their campaign activities. The National People’s Party (NPP) has announced candidates for a majority of the seats.

In another decision, the State Cabinet approved the report of the Expert Committee on the State Job Reservation Policy. The report will be tabled in the Meghalaya Assembly on Wednesday. The Voice of the People Party (VPP) had earlier criticised the delay in releasing the report.

The committee, headed by Justice (Retd) M. C. Garg, submitted its report in June last year. Constituted in 2023, the panel reviewed the existing reservation structure, which provides 40 per cent reservation each for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities, 5 per cent for other Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, and 15 per cent for the unreserved category.

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Police Accountability Commission under the provisions of the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010. Retired IAS officer Peter Ingty will serve as Chairman, while retired IAS officer V. R. Syiem will be a member of the Commission.

Further, the Cabinet cleared amendments to the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010, and approved the transfer of the Re-organisation Cell to the Home (Political) Department.