By Wankitbok Pohshna
The people of Laitumkhrah were stunned by the news of the acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem revoking the sanad of the three Rangbah Shnongs (headmen) of Laitumkhrah followed with the appointment of an acting Rangbah Shnong from amongst the suspended three on the very same. What led to this development is something that the people should be aware because a point has been reached which requires the further strengthening of the village administration system. Though Laitumkhrah falls under administered area of municipality, locals have the privilege to constitute a dorbar shnong for local governance since the administered areas enjoy dual character in self-administration.
Since time immemorial the elders of the locality recall that Laitumkhrah had three Rangbah Shnongs to manage the affairs of the people. Sometime in 1956 the Laitumkhrah sports social and cultural club was formed to further improve sports and cultural activities in the locality. Back then, the sports club had a person in-charge in every block of Laitumkhrah, usually termed as ‘dongs or kyntoit.’ It was only after 1956 that Laitumkhrah streamlined its affairs by electing its first chairman (L) Kisto Mohon Roy Marbaniang from amongst the three Rangbah Shnongs and (L) Alfred Red Wahlang as secretary of dorbar pyllun. In Sept 1970, it was felt that Rangbah Dongs (deputy headmen) were needed in every block to assist the Rangbah Shnongs as the population grew. Those were years when affairs of the dorbar were well-managed, not to forget contributions of all the former Rangbah Shnongs and dorbar officials to name a few (L) Mon Lyngdoh, (L) H Kharkongor, (L) P G Marbaniang, (L) J Khonglah, (L) S N R Shylla, (L) R Kharshiing, (L) B Kharkongor, (L) R Kharpor, (L) T P Nongrum, (L) B Myrthong etc. Whatever differences arose were sorted out internally and seldom required the intervention of outside authorities.
Sometime in 2006-2007 and 2011-12 the Syiem of Mylliem denied sanad to the Rangbah Shnongs of Laitumkhrah citing that there may be a clash of interests if all three are given sanad for the same purpose. The then Rangbah Shnongs were well matured to convince the Syiem to respect the system of village administration that was prevalent in Laitumkhrah and all three Rangbah Shnongs were given sanad and it continues to this day.
On Dec 2014 when the single bench of Meghalaya High Court struck down the powers of headmen that prompted all dorbars of ‘ka bri u hynniewtrep’ to act together to overcome legal challenges, Laitumkhrah dorbar was also actively involved under the able leadership of the Rangbah Shnongs who took part vehemently in all the protests that year. On June 2015, the KHADC brought the Mylliem Syiemship Rules and subsequently headmen were re-conferred with sanad at a grand function held at Khasi National Dorbar Hall on Sept 2015 and by January 2016 the Supreme Court also temporarily stayed the division’s bench order and allowed headmen to re-function as per rules of the District Council under the Mylliem Syiemship Rules of 2015. Not much is spelt out in the principal act of 2007 nor are there broad details laid in the rules of Mylliem Syiemship when it comes to the functions and responsibility of the Rangbah Shnong.
With such developments, the Laitumkhrah dorbar was convened on Oct 2017 and new Rangbah Shnongs were elected by the people who attended the dorbar. Three were elected, namely SB Nongdhar, GB Sawkmie and AA Jyrwa for a tenure of 3 years which was to end on Sept 2020. As per convention S B Nongdhar was chosen as Chairman of the Laitumkhrah Dorbar Shnong Pyllun based on the highest number of votes attained. But the Chairman had to resign from the Committee on July 2021 on health grounds and GB Sawkmie took over as the Chairman by consensus of the Executive Committee of the Laitumkhrah Dorbar. Fissures arose as A A Jyrwa was not in agreement with the decision taken by the EC. In Sept 2021 he along with a group of people convened a meeting to form the Seng Samla, by-passing the Chairman, the other Rangbah Shnongs and the EC of the dorbar which was active. This and other actions on the part of one Rangbah Shnong led to certain differences and on Feb 2022 this year the same group of people must have formally complained to the Syiem of Hima Mylliem following which the Rangbah Shnongs were summoned.
The Chairman, GB Sawkmie had requested for a copy of the complaint to understand the basis of such complaint which the Office of the Hima never served. However, it is understood that the failure to convene dorbar at the end of the tenure is the reason for the complaint.
As per clause 3 of section 5(B) of the Mylliem Syiemship rules 2015, ‘A Rangbah Shnong shall hold office strictly within the period and as per terms and conditions of the sanad issued by the Syiem and the Dorbar (which usually is for a period of 1 year only). The clause further states however that if not less than 50 percent of the total inhabitants/ members requisition for a meeting of the Dorbar Shnong, the Syiem and the Dorbar may conduct a referendum for electing a new Rangbah Shnong. Provided that in case of any dispute pertaining to the office of the Rangbah Shnong, the Syiem and the Dorbar may authorise any myntri (sub-ordinate) to look after such village’
A bare look at the above clause points to two question that are pertinent here. Who are the 50 percent inhabitants who signed the complaint and which prompted the Syiem to revoke the sanad of the Rangbah Shnongs of Laitumkhrah? Is the list of complainants based on the electoral roll of the District Council or is it the list of all inhabitants of Laitumkhrah which naturally does not exist. Why an acting Rangbah Shnong is appointed from amongst the suspended, when it is imminent from the series of events that unfolded that something is brewing and all is not well. It is worth recollecting that after the office of the Syiem issued an order that the dorbar had to be convened in April this year, the EC of the Shnong was convened to discuss the said order and come up with the modalities of conducting the elections. It was during that meeting that a group of youths which included one of the complainants forcefully entered the hall and started abusing the Rangbah Shnongs of corrupt practices, using foul language.
The meeting was called off and an FIR was also filed against the disruptors and the whole matter was reported to the Office of the Syiem by the Secretary of the Dorbar Pyllun, to which the acting Syiem issued another order cancelling his previous order of summoning the Dorbar.
The matter resurfaced in June this year when the acting Syiem re-summoned the three Rangbah Shnongs to discuss pending issues of the dorbar without mentioning the remedies taken by the acting Syiem in resolving the issue. The Chairman GB Sawkmie reiterated to the acting Syiem vide a letter on the pending issue of non-action on his part on reported matters relating to threats given by a certain group and that it is not conducive to summon the three Rangbah Shnongs to the office of the Syiem in the presence of disruptors or complainants which may lead to further unrest. But the Office of the Syiem issued another summon in August, asking the three Rangbah Shnongs to be present before him with copies served to the disruptors with not a single mention on the actions taken by the acting Syiem to resolve the matter under dispute.
The recent order of suspension reads that the reasons given by the other two Rangbah Shnongs were baseless and not substantive and therefore the Syiem was forced to revoke the Sanad vide his order dated August 25, 2022. As per rule the Syiem is supposed to appoint a ‘myntri’ as caretaker to convene the Dorbar with the assistance from the Secretary of the dorbar pyllun. But violating all norms the acting Syiem has appointed the same person whose sanad has been revoked as the caretaker. Where is justice in this? How can differences be settled without an opportunity of being heard in person?
Instead the acting Syiem issued order upon order without correcting on reported matters. And appointing an acting Rangbah Shnong at this point of time from amongst the suspended lot will only add fuel to the fire. Will the Syiem guarantee that the dorbar to be held shall be free and fair? Who with a sane mind and fine sense of judgment will get involved in such matters?
In the absence of specific written laws on the conduct of elections to the office of the Rangbah Shnong and rules on their functions and responsibilities especially in administered areas of municipality, such attempts under duress will create factions within a particular dorbar that is not at all healthy for the traditional system we know of. Revoking of the sanad by overlooking rules on the part of the office of Hima Mylliem itself is questionable. While it is time for the District Council to intervene in such circumstances and as custodian of the system it is the moral duty of the Council to set the entire system in order. And if need be which in this instance it appears so, amendments must be brought to the existing Mylliem Syiemship Rules 2015 in matters relating to functions, tenure and conduct of elections to the office of the Rangbah Shnong which should be uniform throughout Khasi Hills.