4 groups reemphasise need to amend Succession Act

SHILLONG, April 24: Four organisations – HNYF, KSU, FKJGP and Maitshaphrang — have re-emphasised the need to amend the Meghalaya Succession to Self Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986, to ensure equitable distribution of property, and have sought the citizens’ full support.
Convenor of Maitshaphrang Michael Syiem, in a statement issued here on Monday, appealed to the Hynniewtrep people for their cooperation and support “in bringing about a legislation that is progressive and an asset.”
The matter was also discussed during a meeting organised by the four organisations with representatives of the different Seng Kur (clans) on April 15.
The groups contend that there is a need to include the word ‘equitable’ and not ‘equal’ and the word ‘ancestral’ in the principal Act.
“The word ‘equitable’ gives the parents the flexibility to ‘will’ out their property to their children, sons and daughters, to whom and how much, according to their wisdom. If in certain cases, the parents in their wisdom feel that the youngest daughter deserves the bulk or the entire share, this law will allow them to do so by will. In a family where there are no daughters and only sons, the will, which gives the sons the right to the family property, will prevent the Kur (Clan) from snatching away the property from them when their parents expire, which is usually the case because of the absence of this law,” Syiem said.