Synjuk against framing any new rules on headmen
SHILLONG: In the wake of the recent High Court of Meghalaya ruling which put traditional institutions under the purview of the State government, the Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep (SNSBH) has reminded Chief Minister Mukul Sangma that in a meeting held on November 5 last year, the headmen’s body had urged the government not to introduce or draft any fresh Bill on the traditional institutions in the State.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, SNSBH said the traditional institutions are under the supervision of the respective autonomous district councils in the State and reminded that the State government was not doing anything to bring back the Village Administration Bill from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to the Office of the Governor for assent.
The SNSBH lauded the KHADC for appealing to the Supreme Court by filing a Special Leave Petition.
In connection with the introduction of Rule 20 (b) of the Meghalaya Conduct (Service) Rules, 1990, the SNSBH letter to the chief minister said, “It is a despicable move on the part of the State government and such an act will ultimately destroy the sacrosanctity of the traditional institutions.”
It further stated that the rule has caused great hardships on the office bearers of the traditional institutions, especially in the rural areas where majority of people are either illiterate or semi-literate.
They said government officials and peoples’ representatives will take advantage of the situation if government officials are debarred from becoming office bearers of traditional institutions and asserted that it is a clear violation of the fundamental rights of a person.
The Synjuk asked the State government to rectify its error and de-notify the Rule 20 (b) of the Meghalaya Conduct (Service) Rules, 1990.
The Synjuk lauded Dr. Yogendra Narain, former Secretary General of Rajya Sabha, former Defence Secretary to the Government of India and former Chief Secretary to the UP Government, for his lecture on ‘Participatory Democracy’ organized by Meghalaya Institute of Governance where he appreciated the presence of regional and local autonomous bodies that decentralize power directly to the people of the state and stated it is a true model of participatory democracy involving people from all walks of life in decision making, decentralization, specialization and globalization, political participation, accounting, promoting civil societies and NGOs, empowerment for the weaker section and spread of education.
It may be reminded that the Synjuk had organised a mass poster and signature campaign across Khasi and Jaintia Hills on January 26 as a mark of protest and asked the State government to de-notify the amendment to the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) rules before February 5.