Govt employees permitted to head traditional bodies

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules will no longer apply to traditional bodies or community-based organizations including those based on clan or faith.
This effectively means that government employees can now hold posts of traditional heads and the likes.
The decision to this effect was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Speaking to media persons, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the decision has been taken in accordance with the outcome of a series of engagements with stakeholders representing traditional institutions.
The chief minister also took the opportunity to clarify that the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules, 2015, never mentioned that government employees cannot hold the post of Rangbah Shnong (headman).
The chief minister further informed that as per the latest amendment, “the term
community-based organization, association, traditional body or society shall not include any faith-based and clan-based organization and the traditional bodies.”
And wherever along with other association or organization, the term “traditional bodies” appear, they are going to be deleted, he said.