SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) approved the KHAD (Constitution and the Procedure and Conduct of Business) Rules, 2018, on Thursday which seeks to restrict non-tribals from participating in council elections.
In the previous autonomous district council rules – the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951 — the franchise electoral rolls were under Rule 128, whereas in the new norms, the franchise electoral rolls are under Rule 120.
In the qualification of electors, Rule 120 (1) (a) states, “A citizen of India belonging to the Scheduled Tribe and ordinary resident in a constituency for not less than 180 days during the qualifying period.”
Rule 128 (1) (a) states, “A citizen of India and ordinary resident in a constituency for not less than 180 days during the qualifying period.”
The issue surrounding Rule 128 (now Rule 120) was raised time and again at the KHADC as it does not give complete political right to tribals to exercise their right to vote.
The KHADC also approved the amendment to the Rule 23 (7) and after the proviso to the proposed amendment of Rule 23 (7), a second proviso was added.
Moved by HSPDP MDC Manstudy Nongrem, the proviso states, “Provided further that any candidate who is absent without any intimation on the date of election, his/her candidature shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.”
He pointed to the election of the chief executive member where one of the candidates was absent.
During the election of the CEM in July, Shylla was announced the CEM when Grace Mary Kharpuri, a candidate for the post, stayed away from the election.
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2018, was also passed on the last day of the winter session.
The bill seeks to penalise non-tribals using Khasi surnames and to codify and regulate the system of Kur (clan) of the Khasi-Jaintia tribe that follows a matrilineal system dependent on a strong clan of Kur system.
It provides “proper administration of clans (Kur) in order to conserve and grow the traditional matrilineal system of Khasi society for the protection of their interest and at the same time to prevent claims of Khasi status by unscrupulous persons purely for the benefits, concessions or privileges conferred on the Khasi as members of the scheduled tribe under the Constitution”.
Corrigenda and addenda to the bill were moved by Shylla. In Section 2, a new definition in sub-section 2 (33) was included with the mention of U Thawlang, the common ancestor father.
Again, in Section 22, the words “Khasi Clan Tribunal” will be replaced by the words “Tribunal on Khasi Clan Administration.”
The other bills approved on Thursday were the KHAD (Appointment and succession of Syiem, Deputy Syiem, Electors and Rangbah Shnong of Mylliem Syiemship) (Third Amendment), Bill 2018, KHAD (Nomination, Succession and Election of Syiem, Deputy Syiem, Lyngskor, Bakhraw and Rangbah Shnong of Khyrim Syiemship) Bill, 2018, KHAD (Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Matabor of Mawmluh Sirdarship), Bill, 2018, KHAD ( Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Matabor of Wahlong Sirdarship), Bill, 2018,KHAD ( Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Headmen of Mawlong Sirdarship), Bill, 2018, KHAD (Appointment and succession of the Sirdar and headmen of Sohbar Sirdarship), Bill, 2018.
