SHILLONG, May 1: The coordination committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will decide whether the PIL, challenging the controversial Meghalaya-Assam boundary MoU, will be filed by the council or the affected Himas along with private parties.
Leader of Opposition in the KHADC, PN Syiem on Sunday said the boundary committee assigned the coordination committee, which will be headed by Executive Member in-charge of Trade, Jambor War, to take the decision.
“We have not decided whether the petition will be moved by the council or by the affected Himas along with the private parties. The decision to move the petition will be decided by the coordination committee,” Syiem said.
He was reacting to the claim of Deputy Chief Executive Member, Gigur Myrthong that the boundary committee in its meeting had not decided that the council will move the petition to challenge the MoU in the court.
According to Syiem, the boundary committee, of which he is a member, was formed by the Executive Committee.
He said the boundary committee convened a meeting with members from the five affected Himas after the state government had made it absolutely clear that there is no question of revisiting the MoU.
When asked about the decision of the 11 NPP MDCs to back the MoU, Syiem said he will not be able to comment since it is a decision of the MDCs of a party.
“This has nothing to do with the boundary committee,” Syiem added.
The NPP MDCs had said they would not be a part of the move to go to court against the MoU.
Myrthong, who is NPP parliamentary party chairman, stated they had written to the council’s Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne that they will not be a part of the exercise.
Myrthong claimed the boundary committee had not decided whether the council would be a party in filing the petition against the MoU after studying the report of the coordination committee.
“The statement of the boundary committee deputy chairman, Jambor War that the council will move the court against the MoU is totally wrong. In the meeting, we had decided to leave the matter to the wisdom of the Himas and the private parties,” he said.
He also said that the 11 NPP members of the KHADC support the MoU.
Earlier, the KHADC had planned to file a petition against the MoU following its meeting with the traditional heads from the five Himas – Hima Mylliem, Hima Nongspung, Hima Jirang, Hima Nonglang and Hima Jyrngam Sirdarship – from the two districts of West Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi.
War had stated a coordination committee had been constituted to recommend to the boundary committee on how to go about it.
“The coordination committee will submit a report to the boundary committee for its final approval before we move to the court,” the Executive Member in-charge of Elaka had said.
