GUWAHATI: A day after the collapse of the United Democratic Alliance executive committee in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement blamed the absence of an anti-defection law for instability in the council.
“The absence of the anti-defection law in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has affected the stability of governance, and furthermore, affected the performance of the council, thereby giving MDCs the opportunity to play blame game tricks with the electors,” Thomas Passah, vice president of KHNAM’s central executive committee, told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
Passah reiterated that the KHADC should be brought within the purview of the 10 Schedule of the Constitution to stop MDCs from switching sides.
“In the amendment to the Sixth Schedule, insertion of anti-defection law was not given importance. But more stress was given to increase of seats, etc. Before the last election to the district council, all candidates had expressed the importance of anti-defection law for stability. However after they were elected, they seemed to have shied away. Even parties which had pledged in their election manifestoes have failed to act after coming to power,” he said.
The KHNAM spokesperson said that the party failed to understand why after coming to power, none of the MDCs or KHADC has passed a resolution on the subject. “If there is any seriousness they would have done it in the first session of its term only. Is it because may be in some way or the other, the MDCs are scared to be tied down by the anti-defection law, because as seen now it is a game of power hunting in KHADC and they have forgotten that with power comes responsibility,” Passah said.
He further said that the party would keep a close eye on the functioning of the council irrespective of who was in control.
“As it is, we have been keeping a close watch on the matter of issuance of trading licences by KHADC,” Passah said.
“However, in spite of our demand for transparent recruitment in the council, nothing has been done and it is more disappointing that through our RTI, it was found that after the last MDC elections, as many as 36 persons were absorbed in various posts in KHADC without any public notification or conduct of exams,” he said.
On the assessment of executive committee’s performance, Passah said that it was too early to comment and that with issues such as Citizenship Amendment Bill and others at hand, more time should have been given to the EC to prove itself
