SHILLONG, Feb 25: The Advisory Committee on Law and Traditional Affairs of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) submitted its report on the amendment to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2020, to KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne on Friday.
The Executive Committee is expected to table the Bill after incorporating the recommendations of the advisory committee, which is headed by senior MDC Bindo Mathew Lanong, in the budget session to be held from March 8.
The Council had passed the Bill on November 23, 2018 during the tenure of former CEM, the late HS Shylla. After the Bill was passed, it was forwarded to the Governor for approval.
The Governor had returned the Bill to the KHADC with a message in 2019. Following this, the Bill was referred to the committee constituted by the KHADC on April 7, 2020 to examine, fine-tune and incorporate the observations made by the Governor.
The Bill seeks to penalise non-tribals using Khasi surnames and codify and regulate the system of Kur (clan) of the Khasi-Jaintia tribe.
It also provides for proper administration of clans in order to conserve and grow the traditional matrilineal system of Khasi society for the protection of their interest and, at the same time, to prevent claims of Khasi status by unscrupulous persons purely for benefits, concessions or privileges conferred on the Khasis as members of the Scheduled Tribes of India.
“We have finally managed to submit the report after more than a year of extensive deliberations to improve and fine-tune this Bill,” Lanong told reporters before submitting the report to the CEM of the KHADC.
According to him, the Bill, once becomes an Act, will streamline the various deficiencies and strengthen the matrilineal system of society which the Khasis had been practicing since time immemorial.
According to him, it will now become mandatory that the children should take the mother’s surname. He said it has been found that there are many from among the Khasi-Pnar who take their father’s surname.
“It will bar anyone who wishes to take the father’s surname once the Bill becomes an Act. The preamble of the Bill itself is a matrilineal aspect of the law and the Khasi community is known as a matrilineal society,” the advisory committee chairman said.
He also said that the Bill also barred the non-Khasis from taking a Khasi title to enjoy the rights and privileges of belonging to the Khasi community.
Meanwhile, Lanong observed that no one can change surname by way of an affidavit. According to him, the Bill also barred the Khasis from anglicizing the Khasi title to a pro-English title.
He said a tribunal will be set up to ensure there is justice for everyone, adding whoever finds to have been debarred illegally or punished unduly by the authority, the person can seek justice by approaching the tribunal as per provisions of this law.