By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A Select Committee of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has decided to keep in abeyance the Meghalaya Community Participation Bill for further examination. The report of the Committee headed by Urban and Municipal Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh was placed in the Assembly on Wednesday.
There were apprehensions from various quarters that the Bill will facilitate holding of Municipal elections in the State.
However, the report said that despite the best efforts of the Committee to make the people understand the importance of the Bill, ‘it is of the impression that the public needs to be further
enlightened to clear certain doubts and reservations that they have regarding the Bill”.
It was on March 16 last year that the Bill was introduced in the Assembly and subsequently, it was referred to the Committee.
The Urban and Municipal Affairs department had opined that since Baghmara, Williamnagar and Resubelpara Municipal Boards have been functioning by way of nomination of Ward Commissioners , there is a need to have Community Participation Bill which will specify the jurisdictions, powers and functions of the Board.
At present, the functioning of the Municipal Boards is mandated by the State Municipal Act.
The intention of the department was to ensure a participatory mechanism involving traditional institutions, women and other stake holders. However, the fear of the people was that the proposed Bill will erode the powers and functions of the existing traditional institutions.
The Select Committee had a series of meeting with the NGOs and individuals in various parts of the State and found that the Bill needs further scrutiny in the context of varied views of the people.
