SHILLONG: With the reprimand and subsequent apology of government official Zenithsky J. Sangma on Thursday, the number of such cases rose to three in the history of Meghalaya.
As per the records of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, on April 2, 1973, Prosperly Chyne of Jaiaw was reprimanded leading to his apology in the House after he was charged with breach of privilege.
The issue was that Chyne incurred breach of privilege by adversely remarking against a certain ruling of the Speaker delivered in the House on March 28, 1973, in the Members’ Lounge on March 29 in the presence of a few others.
It was the Marshal of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly who complained against Chyne
In another instance, on April 4, 1973, Prof Kapila Chatterjee, editor of English Weekly Young-India, was summoned before the Bar of the House and reprimanded for publishing a libelous news report under the caption ‘The bark of ignorant mischievous politicians’, and an equally defamatory editorial with the caption ‘Privileges of Legislators and Assemblies’.
The action was based on the complaints by two members of the then House — S.D. Khongwir and Hoover Hynniewta.
Earlier on December 6, 1972, though the report of the privilege committee on a news item that appeared in Khasi weekly ‘Ka Pyrta U Riewlum’ was taken up for discussion based on the complaint of the member of the House, M.N Majaw, the matter was later dropped after a discussion in the Assembly.
