Trading license
SHILLONG: The Shillong Municipal Board Chief Electoral Officer T Lygwa has said that the Board has directed traders to obtain trading license as per the Meghalaya Municipal Act and Municipal Bye Law.
The SMB statement comes after Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai shot off a complaint letter to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) against SMB for illegally exercising its jurisdiction in areas of KHADC by directing both tribal and non-tribal traders to obtain trading licenses.
Shullai on Friday met KHADC chief executive member PN Syiem and demanded that strict action should be taken against the Board by filing contempt of court.
Quoting a Supreme Court judgement made in June 7, 2011, Shullai had stated that the judgement clearly stated that SMB was a civic organisation meant to regulate rules on health and sanitation and it had no authority to issue notification on trading licenses. ) Recently SMB had issued notifications to several shops in Laban area asking shop owners to obtain trading license within fifteen days as they have violated section 1 of the Shillong Municipal Bye Law 136 framed under Section 302 of the Meghalaya Municipal Act 1973.