No confidence motion
SHILLONG: Springing a surprise, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Executive Committee led by the UDP-NPP combine was toppled when the Chairman of KHADC, PN Syiem, voted against the alliance after the ruling and the Opposition tied at 14 each.
The no-confidence motion against the EC was brought by the Congress and it was supposed to be a routine exercise to discuss certain issues.
Though no immediate reason was cited for ousting the EC, speculation is rife that certain policies of the current EC related to trading license issue involving non-tribals and registration of tribal traders may be the reasons.
Earlier, since there was a tie, the chairman of KHADC exercised a casting vote permissible as per the Rule 25 of the Assam Meghalaya Autonomous District Council (Constitution of District Council) Rules, 1951. Casting the last vote, the chairman favoured the opposition members.
Besides Syiem, the NPP MDCs who switched sides were Alvin Sawkmie and Mitchell Wankhar. People’s Democratic Front (PDF) MDC Macdalyn Sawkmie also voted against the EC.
The ruling side had a total number of 18 MDCs while the opposition had 10 MDCs — 9 Congress and 1 Independent.
The effective strength of the House is only 29 after the death of Langrin MDC Nassar Marwein (UDP) last month.
Evidently, there was a cross voting by 4 MDCs — two NPP, one PDF and another Independent from the ruling side and the opposition remained intact.
Earlier, after listening to Leader of Opposition and Congress MDC Lamphrang Blah, who moved the no confidence motion, the chairman said he would go for voting by division since the mover of the motion decided to not withdraw it.
Blah said that he would leave it to the decision of the chairman.
Syiem said he had gone through Rule 71, Rule 25, Rule 61 (2), Proviso Rule 70 and also consulted parliamentary experts and then decided for voting by division.
Countering the argument of CEM Teinwell Dkhar that due process was not followed, Syiem said that he will go as per rules and said, “I am telling you to read Rules 71,Rule 25, Rules 61 (2) and Rules 70. I am telling you that I will not go by convention. That is my ruling, please start”.
Deputy CEM, Pyniaid Syiem stood up and quoted AD Rule 61 (2) and said, “Votes may be taken by show of hands or voices or division and shall be taken by division if any member so desires”.
To this, Congress MDC Ronnie Lyngdoh said that he wrote a letter to the office of the chairman regarding the no-confidence motion that the method of taking votes shall be by way of division as per Rules 61 (2) of the Assam Meghalaya Autonomous District Council (Constitution of District Council) Rules, 1951.
Election of new CEM
The election of the new CEM will be held on November 22, the chairman announced.
Speaking to reporters later, Teinwell said that the party will be holding meetings with regard to the election of the CEM.
Congress MDC Ronnie will attend another meeting to decide on who will lead the new EC.
UDA chooses Teinwell
The UDA has chosen Teinwell as the CEM candidate.
When contacted, NPP MDC Pyniaid said the NPP supports Teinwell as the CEM candidate and there will no change in that.
The Parliamentary Party (PP) leader of NPP, Gigur Myrthong and PP secretary, Pyniaid Syiem have sent a letter to Aibor Tynsong, who is the general secretary of the East Khasi Hills district NPP to inform him of the cross voting of the three NPP MDCs.
“Cannot say what will the party decide, we have only given them the information”, Syiem said.
The NPP MDCs who switched sides were Alvin, Mitchell and the KHADC chairman.