SHILLONG: The KHADC chief executive member, P.N Syiem, has said the council would write to the Centre for exempting the State from rules framed by the Union Government on certain subjects.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Syiem said the council would ask the Centre to also restore the power of the Governor as per Para 3 of the Sixth Schedule as part of the proposed amendments.
“We will write to the Union Government to restore back the power of the Governor so that only any resolution passed by the Council and the approval of the state Cabinet, the Governor can issue a notification to exempt central acts… so that they do not affect the customary practices of people, land and minerals,” he said. Para 3 of the Sixth Schedule deals with forest, water, land and customs, among others.
Syiem said prior to achieving statehood, the central rules could be exempted only at the level of the Governor as per Para 12 (b).
“After statehood in 1972, there was an amendment in the Sixth Schedule as per Para 12 (a) (b) which stated that exemption of Central rules is only at the power of the President of the country for subjects in Para 3,” he said and added that Para 12 (a)(b) should be replaced by Para 12 (b).
Syiem asserted that it will be difficult to exempt central laws at the level of the President as it depends on the opinion of the Union cabinet.
Proposed amendments
With regard to the amendment to the Sixth Schedule, Syiem said the People’s Democratic Forum, the coalition in the Council, will meet to finalise the draft and will send the revised draft to the Centre.
He said the first draft was prepared in 2012 and the second in 2015 that was drafted along with members of the Forum of Councils under the Sixth Schedule (FOCUSS).
Labour licence
As for trading licences, Syiem said the KHADC is trying its best to reduce the issuance of trading licences. “The trading licences cancelled would be around 700-800. We have discussed in the PDF meeting that the Sordar, Syiem, headmen will meet relating to the issuance of NOC to discuss the issuance of trading license,” Syiem said.
“From now onwards, NOC will be issued only with the approval of the executive committee of the Dorbar Shnong, Hima and not to issue NOC in their individual capacity,” he added.
