By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The first day of the KHADC Summer Session on Tuesday witnessed a bizarre incident when Laitkroh MDC Carmel Sohtun jumped on the desk of the House to voice his opposition on the move to scrap the constituency he represented as per proposed delimitation Bill which is expected to be passed during ongoing session.
As per the delimitation Bill, the KHADC is planning to scrap Laitkroh constituency to pave way for creation of Umsning constituency in Ri-Bhoi district.
Despite the opposition, KHADC chairman Fabian Lyngdoh, however, granted the permission to the CEM Pynshngain N Syiem to table the Bill in the House.
Lyngdoh, however, urged the members to submit their amendment proposals on the bill which would be placed before the House on June 20.
Unhappy with the decision of the KHADC chairman, Sohtun climbed on top of the bench which took everyone present by surprise.
The Laitkroh MDC demanded that the Bill should be put on hold.
Mawkyrwat MDC Enbin K Raswai and Jaiaw MDC Adelbert Nongrum also supported the demand of Sohtun.
The two MDCs also suggested that the Bill should be referred back to the Select Committee while questioning the Executive Committee for not circulating it to the members to be able to give their views and suggestions.
While tabling the Bill, KHADC CEM said that the issue pertaining to the delimitation is not a new thing as the bill was already passed in the same floor in 2008, which was also submitted to the State District Council Affairs for approval. After this turn of event, Sohtun also decided to withdraw his support from the Congress-led Khasi Hills United Democratic Alliance (KHUDA).
“I have withdrawn my support from the KHUDA as a mark of protest to the decision and I have submitted a personal request before the CEM to reconsider the EC’s decision,” Sohtun said after the end of the first day’s session.
The Laitkroh MDC also submitted a representation to the KHADC chief in this regard.
Earlier on Monday, a delegation of the traditional chiefs representing the different villages under the leadership of the Sordar of Laitkhroh Elaka, Paila Kharkongor met the Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pynshngainlang N Syiem to air their disappointment to do away with Laitkroh.
“We demanded the KHADC to reconsider its decision on the deletion of the constituency in the upcoming MDC elections in the state,” Kharkongor said. He said the sudden decision is totally against the people as this will no doubt affect the area in so many ways in as far as development is concern.
The MDC and traditional heads from the twenty-nine villages have decided to hold a meeting shortly to discuss and decide on their future course of action if the bill is passed without taking their views and opinions into consideration.
There are about 17,000 voters registered under constituency.
It may be mentioned that many MLAs representing the 29 Assembly constituencies falling in these four districts also favoured that a constituency under KHADC should be in line with the MLA constituency.
There are 29 Assembly constituencies in Khasi Hills region which comprised of the four districts – East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills. Similarly, the KHADC which has its jurisdiction in these four districts in Khasi Hills region has 29 constituencies.
Many of the MLAs from Khasi Hills region supported the idea that District Council constituencies under KHADC should be arranged in line with the Assembly segments.
The strong opinion which suggested deletion of Laitkroh constituency comes from the fact that Laitkroh is falling under Sohra Assembly constituency and it is being surrounded by four other Assembly constituencies – Pynursla, Mylliem, Nongkrem and Mawkynrew
It may be mentioned that State Government had returned the Delimitation Bill which was passed by the KHADC in 2008 with the recommendations to further improve the Bill since the government found that the bill has some shortcomings which requires rectification.