SHILLONG: The Ordinance to empower the headmen finally lapsed on Wednesday.
However, the irony is that no headman has used the Ordinance to issue certificates though it had been effective for six months since May.
The reason was that headmen wanted enforcement of the Village Administration Bill (VAB).
The Meghalaya Local Administration (Empowerment of Traditional Institutions, Traditional Bodies and Headmen in Governance and Public Delivery System) Ordinance 2015 (Ordinance No. 1 of 2015) promulgated by the Governor on May 29 was to expire after six months when the Assembly is not in session.
Since there is an Assembly session (from September 16), the Ordinance lapsed after five months as per the constitution.
Headmen’s body
attacks Mukul
Meanwhile, the Synjuk ki Nongsynshar Shnong ka Bri u Hynniewtrep (SNSBH) a conglomeration of headmen, in an emergency meeting on Wednesday took exception to the stand of Chief Minister in publicizing the letters written to its president Dr. W Kharshiing and general secretary RL Blah and alleged that this was intended to discourage people from participating in the October 30 rally.
“The act was an attempt on the part of the Chief Minister to discourage public from attending the mega march (procession) on the pretext that the state government was trying to resolve the pending issues that resulted in the march called by SNSBH”, the headmen said.
The SNSBH has reiterated the demand for the Chief Minister’s resignation along with his council of ministers on moral ground based on the issues expressed in the handbills distributed by the SNSBH.
The organization has decided to carry on with the procession as scheduled.
In a joint statement issued to the media by the President and Secretary of (SNSBH) said that the letter reflected “the irresponsible and inefficient leadership quality of the CM and his council of ministers”.
According to SNSBH, the letter also showed his insincerity towards meeting the aspirations of the indigenous people in many spheres which has thus “ignited the feeling of discontent in the common man’s heart so much so that the discontentment translated into agitations on several occasions and brought forth the decision for the procession on October 30 which will witness the largest march of the indigenous people of Meghalaya”
Regarding the offer of Chief Minister to facilitate the pursuance of the Bills of the two ADCs with regards to Village administration, the SNSBH said it was amazed to know the Chief Minister had shifted responsibility to the SNSBH.
“In this context, the Bills of the two ADCs though meant for streamlining the Village Administration are not the prerogative of the SNSBH, but of the ADCs and the State Government to equally take the bills to a logical end”, the headmen said.
According to SNSBH, the letter clearly indicated that the Chief Minister as lost his sense of direction and proved that “he is the most unfit to lead the state to prosperity and tranquility”.
