SHILLONG: A section of villagers from Smit have sought the intervention of the KHADC in the controversy raging over the election of the Sordar of the village.
In a letter addressed to the Executive Member in charge Elaka, Lamphrang Blah on Thursday, the villagers alleged that the Syiem of Hima Khyrim, Balajied Syiem influenced the election process to ensure that his cousin brother Kynsai Manik Syiem was retained as the Sordar.
The villagers also alleged that the Syiem of Hima Khyrim had on his own taken the decision to hold the election for the position of Sordar without taking the villagers, who had attended the meeting of the dorbar on April 25 last, into confidence.
“On the day of the election (May 25), Balajied Syiem asked the villagers to vote in favour of his cousin. We feel the election should have been conducted by the KHADC to avoid any kind of manipulation. Even though the Syiem of Hima Khyrim was not directly involved in the conduct of the election there is no denying to the fact that everything was done under his supervision. Therefore, the election is not free from manipulation,” the villagers alleged adding that the ballot paper could have been manipulated since there was no seal of any authority on it.
“Anybody can cast any amount of vote since there was no independent agency to check such manipulation,” the villagers added.
They also said that as per convention, the Syiem of Hima Khyrim should not be present during the meeting of the village dorbar since he is the sole authority with whom people can lodge complaint if they are unhappy with the decision of the dorbar.
“Sadly the Syiem of Khyriem decided to preside over the meeting of the village dorbar to suit his own personal interest,” the villagers claimed.
