SHILLONG: Asking the political parties and pressure groups to desist from issuing ultimatums, the Meghalaya Government on Friday informed that it was working on an ordinance to ensure legislative mandate to allow the involvement of traditional institutions in developmental activities in the State.
Reacting to the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the consortium of pro-ILP pressure groups to the government to release KSU president Daniel Khyriem unconditionally and to drop all cases against them, the government on Friday said it has a clear intent of dealing with the situation legally and added that the Government’s exercise will be embarked by legal perspective.
Informing that several pertinent issues had been discussed during a meeting on Friday, the government said there is no reason for the pressure groups to issue ultimatums.
Be it the NGOs or political parties, they should desist from issuing any ultimatums since it does not do anything to the State, the government said.
The government further pointed out that the issues at hand had remained unsolved for years and it was unfair on the part of the political parties to ask the State Government to solve the issues immediately.
Meanwhile, referring to Friday’s meeting, the Government said that allowing traditional institutions for the development works of the government is the legislative responsibility of the State legislature and for this the government has to seek the mandate of the legislature.
Mentioning that the Assembly was not in session, the government said it was working on an ordinance to this effect. A detailed discussion on the ordinance will be held during the Cabinet meeting scheduled on Monday.
The government further said that it was clear on maintaining its legislative responsibilities and limits without infringing into the domain of the autonomous district councils as per the provisions of the Constitution.
In addition to the proposed ordinance, the State government has already constituted a committee led by former Chief Minister D.D. Lapang which has been tasked with listing various ideas to empower the traditional institutions of the State.
