SHILLONG, Aug 26: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the state government and the three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) have unanimously decided to recommend to the Centre the removal of the term ‘unrepresented tribes’ from the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to amend the provisions in the Sixth Schedule.
A decision has also been taken to recommend that the three ADCs shall not have more than 40 members and not more than four nominated members each, he said on Thursday.
“The recommendation is in line with the original Sixth Schedule where the maximum number of members was 30 and nominated members four,” Sangma told reporters after a meeting with the Chief Executive Members (CEMs) of the KHADC, JHADC and GHADC here.
He said the third point discussed was the constitution and election of the village councils.
The Chief Minister said the Sixth Schedule is being amended to deal with aspects such as Anti-Defection Law, Article 280 for the constitution of a Finance Commission and to give financial powers to the ADCs.
“As far as the GHADC is concerned, we have decided to recommend the holding of council elections as well as village councils,” he said.
“This recommendation is necessary to ensure the Finance Commission money comes in and schemes are implemented in the villages. But the provision of the law of the land, land-holding and reforms will remain with the district council. The Nokmas will not be part of the village councils,” the Chief Minister said.
In the case of the KHADC and the JHADC, he said the village Dorbar should continue and the election will be held according to the procedures mentioned under para 2A of the amended law.
According to him, the ADCs should have sufficient powers to work out the procedure for conducting the election of the village Dorbar.
Sangma further said they have decided to recommend keeping the municipal Councils within the jurisdiction of the state.
The ADCs agreed that certain subjects and areas of governance should be given to the municipality. The town committees have also been kept in the loop for handling certain responsibilities.
“We are more or less agreeable to most of the other recommendations given and we want this amendment to go through. The Centre wants there should be uniformity on the suggestion submitted,” he said.
The KHADC had earlier decided to oppose the increase in the number of seats in the ADCs to 40 as is being proposed in the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019.
The council’s CEM Titosstarwell Chyne had said the decision to oppose was based on the perception that it would entail additional financial burden given the insufficient revenue earned.
He had said they would urge the Centre to reduce the proposed number of seats from 40 to 37 consisting of 35 elected and two nominated members, one of whom would be a woman.
