By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has reversed its earlier decision and ordered reinstatement of Emerson Thangkhiew as the Basan of Nongkseh.
The order came following protests from the members of the Thangkhiew clan over the recent decision of the KHADC to quash and set aside the appointment (Sanad) of Livingstone Thangkhiew.
In its judgment, the KHADC termed the action of the Syiem Mylliem in removing Basan Emerson Thangkhiew as ‘illegal’ stating that Emerson had been wrongly accused of being incompetent due to his old age.
Recently, Thangkhiew had said that the members of the clan were disappointed with the decision of the KHADC Executive Committee (EC) quashing his appointment as the Basan of Nongkseh and derecognizing the clan without citing any reason.
In this regard, the KHADC court had upheld the contention of the existing custom in which the Basan must be a resident of the Raid Sawkur Nongkseh and a Basan must be elected by the Dorbar Kur of which it pointed out that Livingstone Thangkhiew had been appointed illegally as Basan of Nongkseh as he is neither a resident of the Raid nor he was elected by the Dorbar Kur.
The Court also observed that the organisation known as the Seng Kur Thangkhiew Laikpoh under its president Livingstone Thangkhiew which had been earlier de-recognised by the Executive Committee of the KHADC is not a registered body nor recognized under law.
“On this count alone, the Syiem of Mylliem should not have entertained and acted on the complaint as the Dorbar Kur under the Rangbah Kur is the apex body to look into the affairs of the entire Clan or Kur,” a statement issued by the KHADC said.