Aizawl: The Mizoram State Election Commission (SEC) is likely to conduct elections to the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) in April or May, even though the current term of the civic body is set to expire on March 1, a senior official said on Friday.
State Election Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana said that the municipal elections would have to be deferred due to time constraints. He explained that the state budget session and school examinations are scheduled to take place during February and March, making it difficult to hold the polls within the required timeframe.
He further pointed out that the end of the AMC’s term coincides with the close of the current financial year, which has posed additional logistical challenges for the election process.
The state budget session is slated to begin on February 17, though its duration is yet to be finalised by the Business Advisory Committee headed by Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama.
As a result, the state poll panel has indicated that the elections will most likely be held after March, once these engagements are over and adequate preparations can be made.
The SEC is expected to announce the final schedule for the municipal elections in the coming weeks.
He also observed that the commission believes the election cycle of the AMC needs to be reviewed, as it often coincides with the budget session and the end of the financial year. He added that municipal elections have been deferred on several occasions in the past due to similar reasons.
With the AMC’s current term ending on March 1, Lalthlangliana said the state government will appoint an administrator or caretaker to carry out the powers and functions of the municipal corporation until new elections are held.
ALSO READ: Mizoram CM Lalduhoma calls for speedy clearance of DoNER projects
The final electoral roll was published on January 7, listing over 2.39 lakh voters, including about 1.29 lakh women, across 19 wards under the AMC jurisdiction.
