SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and stakeholders attended a meeting to discuss on the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule as in which they have decided unanimously on a number of issues.
Addressing the press here on Thursday, general secretary of Synjuk ki Nongsynshar Shnong ka Bri U Hynniewtrep, R.L. Blah said that the meeting has decided that the number of seats should be 35 in which 2 will be nominated members.
He said that the Meghalaya Indigenous Tribes Constitutional Rights Movement (MITCRM) which attended the meeting has demanded that the word unrepresented tribes should be removed.As with regard to Para 12A of the Sixth Schedule, Blah said that the union government should ensure that the Governor of the state should be given the power instead of the President of India observing that the KHADC has to deal with issues concerning land, culture and tradition.
Further, he said that the Bills passed by the KHADC should be time-bound and not remain pending with the state government which should be addressed in the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule.
Echoing Blah, KHADC CEM Latiplang Kharkongor said that the Land Bill has been pending for a long time and agreed that there has to be a time limit for bills to be with the Governor. On the other hand, with the absence of the UDA MDCs, Kharkongor said that it is up to the wisdom of the MDCs. He added that they should unite and meet the Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee, Anand Sharma.
