KHADC cannot appoint agent to collect royalty: HC

SHILLONG: The Single Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya has stated that the appointment of an agent by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to set up challan/royalty check points and to recover verification fees is not supported by law.
Sdangyoo L. Dkhar, the KHADC agent, pointed out that he was appointed by the KHADC as its agent for setting up and operating the royalty challan checkpoint for a period of three years.
Dkhar, the petitioner in the case, indicated that the West Khasi Hills deputy commissioner had been interfering with his work.
The State Government and others in turn have filed the affidavit in opposition, contending against the authority of the KHADC to appoint and install any such agent like the petitioner.
According to them, the order issued by the Secretary to the Executive Committee of the KHADC dated January 15, 2016, appointing the petitioner as the Council’s agent for checking of mineral transport challan/royalty challan from all mineral laden vehicle originating from the council’s territory and allowing him to collect a verification fees of Rs 100 from single-axle laden vehicle and Rs200 from double-axle laden vehicle was confiscatory in nature and was without any legal authority and was not sanctioned by the provision of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.