By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 31: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has intensified its demand for electoral and legal reforms, calling for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and amendment of the Scheduled Tribes List of 1950.
Following a meeting on Tuesday, CoMSO chairman Roy Kupar Synrem said the organisation will shortly write to the state government, urging it to take up both matters with the Centre within a 45-day timeframe.
He warned that if the state government fails to act within the deadline, CoMSO will move to the next phase, which may include public mobilisation and democratic forms of protest.
Synrem added that the organisation is reaching out to political parties, traditional institutions and community stakeholders to build consensus and awareness.
“At the same time, we have already submitted representations to the Union Home Ministry and the Election Commission of India, urging that the SIR exercise be conducted in Meghalaya at the earliest. However, we are yet to receive any response,” Synrem said.
He pointed to concerns over alleged illegal immigration and inclusion of non-citizens in electoral rolls, which could affect the political rights and demographic balance of indigenous communities.
Synrem noted that similar electoral roll revision exercises in Bihar and West Bengal helped identify irregularities, and Meghalaya needs a comprehensive verification for a fair electoral system. He also flagged the issue of “dual voters” in areas bordering Assam.
“A clean electoral roll is the foundation of democracy, and this exercise is necessary to uphold that principle,” he added.
On the Scheduled Tribes list, Synrem said the framework has remained unchanged since Meghalaya’s formation despite the state’s distinct tribal composition. This has allowed tribal groups from outside the state to enjoy rights here without reciprocity for Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities in states like Manipur, Nagaland, and parts of Assam.
CoMSO expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress by a state government committee set up in December 2024 to review the ST list. “Even after more than a year, there is no clarity on what the committee has achieved,” Synrem said.
