SHILLONG: The alleged interference of the State government in the functioning of the autonomous district councils yet again sparked a debate in the ongoing summer session of the KHADC on Wednesday with CEM Pynshngain N. Syiem accusing the government of infringing into the rights of the council by framing rules and instructions against the interests of the council.
Supplementing a query by HSPDP MDC M. Mawsor, who had claimed that some government departments and banks do not accept NOCs issued by the district council, Syiem said, “The State government has no authority to interpret the rules passed by the district council.”
He added that when confronted with officers, who refuse to accept the NOC, the citizens should inform the district council on any violation of its rules and the order of the Supreme Court.
Syiem took note of the Supreme Court order in February empowering district councils to regulate the powers and functions of headmen and recalled that the order allows persons occupying the posts of headmen to continue to function subject to various instructions framed by the district council under the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution.
In this connection, he said, “Reminders will be sent to the various departments as the Supreme Court has permitted the headmen to function as per the rules framed by the district council under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.”
The HSPDP MDC had earlier stated that offices in and around the city do not accept the NOC issued by the Sordar and have to approach the MDCs instead.
Later, during the general discussion of the budget estimate, Independent MDC, Donkupar Sumer said, “The State government has attempted to seize the powers of the district council where there are pending bills of the district council which includes the Village Administration Bill (VAB), the issue on Elaka etc. However, there has to be close co-ordination between the State government and the district council to sort out the issues.”
