By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 20: The three-day winter session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) got off to a stormy start with Leader of Opposition, Titosstarwell Chyne thumping the desk to protest against the arbitrary manner in which the KHADC was being run by the NPP-led Executive Committee by circulating a revised list of business for the winter session of the council minutes before the house convened.
Raising a point of order on Wednesday, he said the rights of the members of the opposition bench were being trampled upon by the “dictatorial” executive committee.
Chyne was disappointed that the EC tabled the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District Fishery (Amendment) Bill, 2023, without giving the members time to study them.
He said that in the last session, he had pleaded before the EC to give the members two to three days to study what it plans to table during a council session.
“Today, we got the copy of the amendment bills and you ask us to submit the amendment motion by 4 pm. How is it possible for the members to submit the amendment motion when they have not got the opportunity to study these amendment bills?” Chyne asked.
He said the EC repeated what it had done during the last session.
“This clearly shows the EC is not respecting the members of the house. Do we not have the right to exercise our mind on the amendment bills tabled by the EC?” he asked.
He recalled that in the last session, the EC had circulated copies of the bills on a Friday and expected the members to study the bill on Sunday since it was to be tabled on Monday.
“The EC’s dictatorial attitude is not acceptable. It is really sad to see the EC does not bother to consult the MDCs from the opposition,” Chyne said.
He said the EC cannot insult the members of the august house in this manner since its members were elected by the people.
“The business of this house is being conducted through blatant violation of the rules,” he said.
Chyne sought to know why the EC should not wait till December 22 to pass the two amendment bills.
In reply, Deputy Chief Executive Member, PN Syiem said the rules permit the EC to come up with a revised list even after the provisional list is finalised.
He also said that the chairman can waive the rules if there is a necessity.
“Maybe, the opposition does not feel that there is an urgency to bring the two amendment bills. But the EC sees the urgency to table these bills during the current session,” he said.
On the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District Fishery (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Syiem said the Governor had questioned the legal validity of the notification issued by the EC on July 25 directing all organizers to obtain permissions from the district council before holding fishing competitions in all areas under the jurisdiction of the council.
In relation to the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Syiem said certain clans in Ri-Bhoi who follow the customary practice of Shaw Bhoi have been denied their right to obtain the Schedule Tribe certificate to date.
“We cannot allow this injustice against these few clans to continue,” he said.
The Shaw Bhoi practice allows a male to take a wife from a different community if there are very few or no female members to carry forward the name of the clan.