SHILLONG: KHNAM MDC Adelbert Nongrum said there is an urgent need for the Council to frame its own rules and regulations on the implementation of the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill to address the issue of mixed marriage between indigenous and non-indigenous communities.
While moving a motion on the issue during the second day of the Council’s Summer Session on Tuesday, Nongrum said, “We need to have a legislation to regulate such marriages in order to preserve the identity of our small community.”
Noting that the State Government has not been able to implement the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill as mandated, the KHNAM MDC said the legislation would help check the trend of mix marriages by denying Scheduled Tribe status to indigenous women who marry non-indigenous men.
He also referred to the 2006 Supreme Court ruling that held that children born out of the wedlock between a forward caste male and a tribal woman cannot claim reservation benefits provided for Scheduled Tribes.
Nongrum was concerned that mixed marriages affected the local customs and traditions besides hampering the right to education and employment of the locals. He cited that migrants who came to mining areas as labourers later became mine owners after marrying local women.
Supporting the motion, Congress MDC Banteidor Lyngdoh pointed out that migrants coming to the State have used marriage as a tool to settle here permanently.
In reply, Executive Member in-charge Marriage and Divorce, Rona Khymdeit said that the Council cannot frame its own rules over the law formulated by the State legislature since it is in clear violation of Para 12 A of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
While quoting Para 12 A, she said that this section clearly states that if any law or regulation made by the District Council is repugnant to the law made by the Meghalaya legislature, then the law or regulation made by the district council to the extent of repugnancy be made void and the law made by the State legislature shall prevail.
Executive Member in-charge Marriage and Divorce said that the Council had passed it own marriage bill in 2005 which is still pending with the State Government.