Four more MLAs put in papers before Council chairman
SHILLONG: KHADC CEM Pynshngaiñ N Syiem has decided not to relinquish the dual post (MLA and MDC) despite the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Amendment Bill, 2015, which was passed by the State Assembly recently, becoming effective from October 1.
On the other hand, four MLAs who are also MDCs on Wednesday quit as the member of the KHADC.
The MLAs who submitted their resignations to the KHADC chairman are Sanbor Shullai (Laban, NCP), Metbah Lyngdoh (Mairang, UDP), HB Nongsiej (Mawthadraishan, UDP) and KP Pangniang (Rambrai Jyrngam, HSPDP).
“I have got the approval of the people of my constituency who had sent me to the state Assembly as well to the district council. There is a consensus among my supporters who want me to continue to represent them both as an MLA as well as an MDC,” Syiem said after his meeting with his supporters on Wednesday.
He said, “If I resign then it will be an insult to the 9000-plus voters who had voted in my favour in the 2014 district council election.”
He slammed the Congress-led MUA Government for hurriedly passing the amendment Bill by deleting the Entry IX of the Act which allows MLAs to contest the council election.
According to him, the amendment Bill should have been circulated one week before the Assembly session and it should have been thoroughly discussed within the CLP.
While stating that the ball is now in the Governor’s court, he said, “If the Bill is not approved by tomorrow then it will prove that it has some inherent loopholes.”
Syiem alleged that the government passed the Bill to target him since he was instrumental in bringing all traditional heads of Khasi-Jaiñtia hills under one platform –the Federation of Traditional Dorbars (FTD).
When asked if the Speaker would disqualify him for not resigning as an MDC, he said that the present issue did not fall under the ambit of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
“The issue which is in question is under Article 191 which relates to office of profit. Are we sure that the office of an MDC is an office of profit. Let the higher authorities decide,” the KHADC CEM said.
The CEM also disapproved those MLAs who resigned as MDCs.
“This is not an appropriate time (to resign). The Governor has not given his assent to the Bill as yet,” Syiem said.
Earlier, DCA Minister, HDR Lyngdoh, HSPDP vice-president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit and Parliamentary Secretary Stephanson Mukhim who is MDC of the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) had put in their papers as MDCs.
“I have decided to resign after consultation with my supporters. I am also of the opinion this is the best option to maintain the sanctity and dignity of the House that had passed this amendment bill,” Metbah Lyngdoh said.
Adding to this, HSPDP MLA KP Pangniang said, “We are rather forced to quit by the state government.”
Laban MLA said that he decided to resign after consultation with his supporters on Tuesday.
“I will continue to work for the interest of my people as an MLA,” Shullai said.