Meghalaya deputy Speaker Timothy D. Shira resigns; election on September 12
The move is seen as part of the NPP’s reshuffling of responsibilities ahead of more intense political alignments in the run-up to 2028 polls
Shillong: Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma on Monday accepted the resignation of deputy Speaker Timothy D. Shira, paving the way for the election of a new deputy presiding officer on the last day of the ongoing autumn session.
“I have received the letter of resignation from deputy Speaker Timothy D. Shira and accordingly I have accepted it. Immediately, I had called for an emergent meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to decide and review the calendar of this ongoing autumn session as to when we can elect the new deputy Speaker. The BAC has decided that the election will take place on September 12, the concluding day of the session,” Sangma told reporters.
The Speaker added that Shira had conveyed that his decision was based on directions from the party’s high command. Sangma declined to elaborate, saying that it is now for the leadership to decide on who to nominate for the post.
The move is seen as part of the NPP’s reshuffling of responsibilities ahead of more intense political alignments in the run-up to 2028 polls.
People familiar with the matter indicated that chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had called Shira late on Sunday night, hours before he tendered his resignation. Though no official explanation has been offered, the move points to internal calculations within the National People’s Party (NPP), which has long relied on Shira as one of its senior-most legislators from the Garo Hills.
Shira, 79, is one of the oldest serving members in the 60-member Assembly. Representing the Resubelpara (ST) constituency in North Garo Hills, he has been a prominent figure in state politics for over two decades. A graduate of St. Anthony’s College under Gauhati University, Shira began his career as a social worker before entering public life.
This is not the first time Shira has held the deputy Speaker’s chair. He was first elected to the post in March 2018 after defeating the Opposition’s Winnerson Sangma by 20 votes, and was re-elected unopposed in March 2023, underlining his standing within the Assembly. His latest resignation, therefore, marks an abrupt end to a position he has held across two terms.
