SHILLONG: Satyendra Garg, joint secretary (NE) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has asserted that the Centre will soon finalise the amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The statement came from Garg after he held discussions with representatives of the state government and other stakeholders regarding amendment to the Sixth Schedule here on Friday.
The issues discussed in the meeting were increase in the number of seats from 30 to 40 in the councils, the need to end MLA-MDC dual post and the initiative to extend Finance Commission grant to councils like other local bodies elsewhere in the country among others.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Garg said there is a lot of common ground between the government and the stakeholders, “except on a few issues where the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and the state have different views”.
During the meeting, the stakeholders discussed Article 280 of the Constitution which highlights on the need to constitute a Finance panel to provide grants to the local bodies.
The meeting also discussed Para 20 of the Sixth Schedule ( jurisdiction of the councils), besides the rules and sub-rules.
Garg told reporters that the views of various stakeholders will be taken up with the Centre “and we hope to finalise the amendments soon”. He informed that there were three drafts of the amendment and hoped that the present one would become a law after Parliament’s approval.
Several NGOs, members of the district councils, traditional heads and senior officials of the state government were present at the meeting.
The Centre wants to amend the Sixth Schedule at the earliest to empower the district councils.
KHADC plea for Article 280
Meanwhile, the KHADC has urged the Home Ministry to bring Article 280 of the Constitution under the Sixth Schedule, which will help the Autonomous District Councils to get funding under the Central Finance Commission.
After the meeting, KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem said as of now, Article 280 is applicable only to the panchayats and other local bodies.
“Once Article 280 is brought under the ambit of the Sixth Schedule then the council can constitute the District Level Planning Board for preparing the five-year plan to be submitted to the State Finance Commission. We would also want that two members from the council should be included as members in the State Finance Commission. By having these members, the proposal submitted by the council to the State Finance Commission can be followed up more effectively,” Syiem said.
He also informed that they have discussed on the issue to increase number of seats in the district councils in the state from 30 to 40 seats adding that 35 of the seats will be elected and the remaining five will be nominated.
According to the CEM, the district councils should have a role in formulating rules for Dorbar, Elakas and Himas.
He also told Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to invite stakeholders before submitting its view to the Home Ministry on the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule.
