CM’s ST status case hearing now on March 19

SHILLONG: The date of hearing of the ST status case of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has been deferred yet again to March 19 next from November 15 without any reason.
The case has lingered for long though the Supreme Court directed the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes in New Delhi to dispose of the matter on merits and in accordance with law preferably within a period of eight weeks (two months) from the date of receipt of the copy of the order passed on January 20, 2014.
For more than four years, the ST panel is yet to give its verdict.
The case was deferred at a time when the chief minister is preparing to contest in two seats for the upcoming Assembly polls to be held in February next.
According to the petitioner, Tennydard Marak, since ST status of the chief minister is under question, two genuine indigenous ST candidates will be deprived if he wins from both the seats.
“This is due to the dereliction of the constitutional duty by the concerned department or officials causing serious irreparable injury to the indigenous people of Meghalaya,” the petitioner said.
According to the petitioner, the ST certificate of Mukul was issued in a routine manner without any verification of record.
“The official record reveals that Mukul Sangma has obtained his ST certificate bearing No. 18/81/6295 dated 23/06/1982 whereas his mother’s name on official record as per voters’ list of 58, Ampatigiri as on
January 1, 1983 shows Roushanara Begum under serial no. 359. Therefore it is amply clear that the alleged certificate has been issued without verifying the official record,” the petitioner said.
The law is specific about Scheduled Tribe claim through marriage and the guiding principle is that “no person who was not a scheduled tribe by birth will be deemed to be a member of Scheduled Tribe merely because he or she is married to a person belonging to a Scheduled Tribe”.
Earlier, a representation was made by the petitioners on November 14, 2013 before the Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, New Delhi and the Apex Court in the order in 2014 wanted the commission to dispose of the matter within two months.
However, the commission referred the matter to state government particularly to the State Level Scrutiny Committee to conduct the inquiry against Sangma which was not necessary.
The petitioner said that under no circumstances , Roushanara Begum, the mother of chief minister could claim the status of Scheduled Tribe so her off-springs. Hence, the Scheduled Tribe certificate issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Tura way back in 1982 deserves to be cancelled.