Delegation of 6 KHADC members meets Governor on delimitation Bill
SHILLONG: A group of six MDCs from the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has threatened to move court if government decides to implement the KHADC Delimitation Bill and hold upcoming Council election in delimited constituencies.
A delegation of these six MDCs met governor KK Paul on Thursday and reiterated their opposition to the delimitation Bill passed KHADC during a special session in December last year.
The delegation includes three KHNAM MDCs, two Congress MDCs and an Independent member of the Council.
The KHNAM MDCs are Adelbert Nongrum (Jaiaw), Carmel Sohtun (Laitkroh), and James Ban Basaiawmoit (Mawkhar). And the Congress MDCs are Lambor Malngiang (Nongkrem), and Irene Lyngdoh (Pariong) and the Independent MDC is Grace Mary Kharpuri (Nongshken).
Talking to reporters after the meeting with Dr Paul, Nongkrem MDC Lambor Malngiang said the Governor during the course of the meeting told the delegation that he would study the Bill before taking any decision.
Dr Paul, however, told the delegation that he was yet to take a call on the matter as he was still waiting for the reply from the District Council Affairs (DCA) department on the clarifications sought by him.
Meanwhile, KHNAM MDC Adelbert Nongrum has threatened to move to court if the State Government decides to go ahead with the proposed delimitation.
Informing that the MDCs will continue to protest against the Bill, Laitkroh MDC Carmel Sohtun said, “If the Bill is approved by the government, we will knock the court’s door.”
Dr Paul had earlier directed KHADC to conduct an ‘on the spot’ public hearing with regards to the proposed delimitation bill.
Sohtun however, alleged that the KHADC had failed to conduct the public hearing in areas where the delimitation is going to affect but only called the different village heads at a meeting held in the council to hear their views and opinions which is not as per the direction of Paul.
The delegation demanded that the Bill should be put on hold.
Under the delimitation bill, the KHADC wanted to rearrange its constituencies mainly to facilitate the creation of Umsning constituency in Ri Bhoi district by merging two existing constituencies – Laitkroh and Lyngkyrdem into one constituency.
On December 14 last year, the KHADC has approved the KHADC (Constitution of District Council) (amendment) Rules, 2013 during its special session. The amendment rules 2013 was necessitated for amending the principal rule of Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (constitution of district council) Rules, 1951 in order to facilitate realignment of its existing constituencies.
However, KHNAM MDCs protested the rule and Laitkroh MDC, Carmel Stone Sohtun tore the copy of the rule as a mark of protest.