SHILLONG: The all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma scheduled on Friday to discuss the proposed amendments to the Sixth Schedule vis-à-vis the traditional institutions in Meghalaya, has been postponed.
This was informed by the Commissioner and Secretary, District Council Affairs department, on Thursday.
Incidentally, on Thursday, the KHADC has decided to seek a status report on whether the Government had incorporated its suggestions on the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution before forwarding the same to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
“We will formally write to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday to seek the status report,” KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum told newsmen after an all-party meeting of the MDCs including UDP, Congress, HSPDP, KHNAM and lone Independent member Grace Mary Kharpuri here on Thursday.
Nongrum revealed that the KHADC had submitted its suggestions to the Government on the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule on April 8, 2012. Among the suggestions made by the KHADC include deletion of Para 12 (a) of the Sixth Schedule to pave the way for bifurcation of the jurisdiction between the State government and the district councils and increasing the strength of the ADCs from the existing 30 to 65 seats, which will include 60 elected and five nominated members.
The KHADC CEM also criticized the Chief Minister for not inviting the MDCs to the proposed all-party meeting.
Opposition parties to also seek clarification
Opposition parties in the State have decided to seek clarity on the recommendations of the three Autonomous District Councils which were submitted to the Government in 2013.
UDP general secretary Allantry F Dkhar said that the Opposition parties wanted to know whether the State Government had incorporated these recommendations in its report submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule.
He also said that they will also be seeking a copy of the recommendations made by the three ADCs.
The Opposition will formally write to the State Government on Friday, Dkhar said, adding that they would meet once the State Government responds to their demand.
