CoMSO for entire M’laya as tribal area

SHILLONG: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Orgnisations (CoMSO) has petitioned the Parliamentary Standing Committee that the entire Meghalaya should be declared as tribal area under Sixth Schedule.
The Committee held a meeting with the stakeholders in the city on Saturday.
In a memorandum submitted to the chairman of the Committee, Anand Sharma, the CoMSO said the Governor should be allowed to exempt and modify any act of Parliament in Meghalaya.
“We have become victims of tyranny of the majority and hence this special provision should be included in the amendment”, the CoMSO said.
According to the organisation, since various resolutions passed by the state government are still pending, the constitutional provision under Para 12(a) b should be replaced by the word ‘Governor’ as the current provision only empowers the President and not the governor.
The pressure group also stressed the need for strengthening the district councils especially related to the assent of the bills passed by the councils.
The CoMSO also asked for transfer of more subjects to the councils to promote culture and tradition of the indigenous people besides bringing a regulation on entry and settlement of non-indigenous people in tribal areas.
The organisation also objected to the nomination of unrepresented tribes in the councils.
Another demand of the CoMSO is that the KHADC should have 31 seats out of which 29 should be elected and two, including a woman, should be nominated.
The pressure group is also against village council and municipal council while it also suggested direct funding to the councils.
The CoMSO also welcomed the change of district council to territorial council and the proposal that the MDCs can be disqualified under anti-defection law as the amendment mentions about one man one post concept.