Govt should keep out of headmen’s affairs: Donkupar

SHILLONG: Opposition Leader and UDP president Donkupar Roy on Sunday said the State government should not interfere into the election and appointment of headmen, and instead, should empower them.
“As long as the district councils exist, the State government should not interfere into the election and appointment of headmen in the scheduled areas, and at the most what the government can do is to empower them after     their elections,” Roy told The Shillong Times.
The statement of the UDP leader assumes significance in the context of High Court order which had entrusted the State government to frame rules for the headmen including those related to their elections.
Roy admitted that there should be a set of rules for the functioning of headmen.
“Some headmen have misused their positions. But no headman is above the law; and if he is a criminal, he should be punished,” Roy said.
However, the UDP leader reiterated that the matter related to the election and appointment of headmen should be left to the district councils.
The views expressed by the Opposition Leader is similar to that of KHADC Chief Executive member P.N. Syiem, who has been advocating the supremacy of the district councils  over the affairs of  traditional institutions  compared to the State government.