By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya has urged the Centre to create a separate Council for the traditional rulers of the State.
A letter in this regard was sent to Union Minister for Tribal Affairs V Kishore Chandra Deo demanding a separate council where traditional chiefs can have their own space for deliberating on legislation.
Speaking to reporters here recently, Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya Chairman John F Kharshiing said that the council will be unlike district councils where frequent toppling takes place.
The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, recently met here to discuss matters arising from the letter from the Ministry Home Affairs with regards to the proposed Sixth Schedule (6th Schedule Amendment Bill 2012).
Taking note of the proposed amendment, Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya also shot off a petition to V Kishore Chandra Deo stating that the amendments do not meet the aspiration of the tribal people.
During the meeting, the Council of Chiefs also deliberated on the fact that the present Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India is applied to the ten tribes with different customs, and traditional laws, under Autonomous District Councils in four states, Assam (3ADCs), Meghalaya(3ADCs), Mizoram (3ADCs) and (one) in Tripura.
It is also noted that the peace efforts, and urgent move to amend the Sixth Schedule have come primarily to accommodate the aspirations and Peace accord settlements with various groups and ethnic tribes
However, the traditional chiefs believe that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, should segregate the Sixth Schedule into different Schedules and Parts such that they reflect the different Autonomous District Councils and tribes instead of clubbing them together under one Sixth Schedule which is causing immense confusion and mis-understanding, as the customs, social practices, and traditional laws are very different from one Autonomous District to another.
The council has also suggested delimitation since the number of MLAs and MDC in the constituencies do not match.
While citing an example, he said in Jaintia hills there are 7 MLAs and 30 MDCs while in Ri Bhoi district there are only 5 MLAs and only 4 MDCs which indicate major delimitation anomalies.
The council suggested the need to enhance the number of seats in the Khasi Hills Autonomous district council thereby giving proper representation to different districts of the state.
Another suggestion made by the council is with regard to the issue of the para 12(a) which shows conflict between the law of the State and laws of the district council and the council has suggested enhancing the scope of the activities of the district council.