Headmen’s body demands recall of Guv; will write to Pranab

SHILLONG: The Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri U Hynñiewtrep (SKNSKBH) has resolved to write to President Pranab Mukherjee demanding the recall of Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan as the latter “lacked the authority to take a decision on minor legislations like the Village Administration Bills (VAB) passed by the KHADC and JHADC”.
“We have decided to write to the President to recall the present Governor since he has failed to meet the aspirations of the masses by unnecessarily delaying the passing of the VAB. If the Governor continues to delay in giving assent to the bills, we will have no other option but to write to the President to replace him with someone else who has the authority to take decisions,” SKNSKBH chairman Werlok Kharshiing told newsmen after a sit-in-demonstration at the parking lot near Additional Secretariat here on Monday.
Kharshiing alleged that the Governor has failed to give any justification for the delay in giving assent to the Village Bills which aim to empower the Dorbar Shnong and the headmen.
He added that the delay in approval of the VABs by the Governor hints at some ulterior motive.
“I do not see any valid reason for holding the two bills since the KHADC and the State Government have rectified the various defects which were there before,” the SKNSKBH chairman said.
Yet to take a decision on when to write to the President in this regard, Kharshiing said the matter will be conveyed to Pranab Mukherjee at an appropriate time.
Earlier, Mawlai Town Dorbar president SD Khongwir told the gathering that there was undue delay on the part of Governor to give assent to VAB.
Meanwhile, Kharshiing informed that a second resolution was passed appreciating the decision of both the KHADC and the State Government to look into the concerned documents to resolve the issue of implementation of the Meghalaya Building Byelaws, 2011 in the scheduled areas.
Kharshiing also opposed the Ordinance to empower headmen besides demanding the withdrawal of MUDA notification to implement Building Byelaws in the scheduled areas.