Cabinet to discuss Residents’ Act after LS polls

SHILLONG: The state Cabinet will meet after the Lok Sabha elections to discuss the proposed amendment to the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act, 2016.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the government had planned to bring the amendment during the recently concluded budget session, but could not since it was cut short after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.
Tynsong said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had told the Assembly that the government would go ahead with the amendment.
He assured a delegation of the Confederation of Hynniewtrep Social Organisation (CoHSO) that met him on Tuesday that the government would issue an ordinance in April regarding the act.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, CoHSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin quoted Tynsong to say the government could not bring the amendment during the budget session because of the model code of conduct and also because the session was short.
Asked whether issuing of the ordinance would be a breach of the model code of conduct, Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor replied in the affirmative. He said that new announcements cannot be made until the election process is over.
Former KHADC chief HS Shylla had earlier said the Residents’ Act “facilitates influx of illegal migrants” while demanding inner line permit (ILP).
Tynsong said on Tuesday the existing act “is stringent as compared to the provisions of the ILP”.
“The government will have to take precautions to ensure there is no harassment of people who transit through the state. We will also not like to see that tourists are harassed. We need to strike a balance,” he added.
Tynsong told the CoHSO delegation that the Meghalaya Police Act would also be amended to give more powers to village defence parties to check influx.