SHILLONG: The Ministry of Home Affairs has refused to acknowledge the traditional institutions in the sixth schedule amendment which was placed in Rajya Sabha.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesperson for Federation of Khasi States John Kharshiing said the draft of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Amendment) Act, 2019 meant to amend Article 280 and Sixth Schedule has once again indicated the unwillingness of the MHA to address the Instrument of Accession and particularly the Annexed Agreement of August 17 1948 agreed between the Governor General of India and the Federation of Khasi States.
On the other hand, the MHA and the respective state governments agreed to implement the memoranda of settlement signed between the Government of India, Assam Government, United People’s Democratic Solidarity (2011) and Dima Halam Daogah (2012).
Another memorandum of settlement was signed between the Government of India, Meghalaya Government and Achik National Volunteers’ Council (2014).
“All these Memoranda of Settlement aim at enhancing autonomy of the existing Autonomous Councils, renaming the Councils and increasing the number of seats in the concerned Councils”, he said.
The amendment also enables the Finance Commission to recommend measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of the States to supplement resources of the Autonomous Councils, Village Councils and Municipal Councils.
The amendment also mentions about the increase in the number of seats in the District Councils, reservation of at least two seats for women, transfer of additional subjects, formation of State Finance and Elections Commissions and providing for disqualification of elected members on account of defection.
Kharshiing pointed out that the policy by the state and central government, particularly the MHA to listen to only those who place their demands through armed violent conflict and ignoring bilateral treaties-solemn national commitments – is very unfortunate and this will prove detrimental to the peace and security of the region.
The amendment, while exempting village councils and Municipal Councils from Meghalaya, does not define what kind of institutions they would have in Meghalaya, he said.
“It would have been resolved had the MHA and the Government of India acknowledged the existence of the traditional institutions of self government namely the Dorbar Kur, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima in the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
The memorandum by the Meghalaya Indigenous Tribal Constitutional Rights Movement (MITCRM), a conglomeration of 14 NGOs, traditional chiefs and civil society groups, has been completely ignored, he said.
The reluctance to clearly define the traditional institutions of self government of Meghalaya is another lost opportunity for the people who are awaiting recognition for the last 71 years (1948 – 2019), he said.
“We call on the newly elected MDCs and the state government to reconsider this important matter and to urge the Government of India and the Parliament to correct this Constitutional Anomaly urgently before passing the proposed draft sixth schedule amendment”, Kharshiing said.
