VAB: State Govt contradicts Centre’s claim

SHILLONG: The fate of Village Administration Bill  (VAB) passed by KHADC hangs in balance as in one hand the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revealed that it has no knowledge about Bill while on the other hand the State government has claimed that the same was referred to the MHA for scrutiny long back.
The MHA has revealed about the non-receipt of the Bill while responding to an RTI filed by a Supreme Court lawyer Daniel Stone Lyngdoh Nonglait.
While trying to substantiate the claim that the Bill was referred to MHA for scrutiny, a Law department official said on Tuesday that MHA had already made some further queries related to the Bill and now the Bill was pending with the District Council Affairs (DCA) Department.
Earlier on Monday, former KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum in a statement expressed concern over the indifferent attitude of the concerned authorities and stakeholders which include DCA, KHADC and Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong  as well as the Governor for maintaining a silence on the issue.
The VAB passed by the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council already received the all important assent of the Meghalaya Governor.
Interestingly, the RTI revealed that the Judicial & Political Pensions Section of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) never received the Bill of the KHADC.