Sixth Schedule amendment
SHILLONG: The Opposition has decided to attend the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on January 20 to discuss proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule.
“We have decided to attend the meeting after receiving all the relevant documents on the clarifications which we had sought from the State Government. The Government has also provided us with the suggestions and views of three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) on the proposed draft (Sixth Schedule of the Constitution) Amendment Bill, 2012,” UDP general secretary Allantry F Dkhar told newsmen after a meeting of the Opposition parties here on Saturday.
Dkhar informed that all the parties would meet again on Monday to finalize the views and suggestions which these parties are going to place in the meeting.
“The MDCs from several Opposition parties will also be attending the Monday’s meeting,” UDP general secretary said while expressing surprise at the change in the agenda of the all-party meeting.
Dkhar recalled that the agenda of the meeting scheduled for January 16 had stated that the meeting would discuss proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule vis-à-vis traditional institutions of Meghalaya.
“But the agenda for January 20 meeting said that it would discuss the amendment proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Sixth Schedule in pursuance of the Tripartite Memorandum of Settlement with ANVC and ANVC-B, relating to increase in the number of seats in the Autonomous District Councils of the State and modalities for nomination of nominated members and any other related issues,” he said
Dkhar further added that it was really funny to see such glaring errors from the side of the Government.
Members from all the Opposition parties including UDP, MDP, HSPDP and KHNAM attended Saturday’s meeting.