SHILLONG, Feb 25: The Meghalaya High Court will on March 7 hear the matter pertaining to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (Appointment and Succession of Syiem, Deputy Syiem Electors and Rangbah Shnong of Mylliem Syiemship) Act, 2007, and the Rules of 2015, the vires of which have been challenged.
It may be mentioned that the vires of the same have been challenged before the High Court as they “prohibit both the participation of women in the electoral process and women being candidates contesting the post of Rangbah Shnong”.
According to a court order, both the State and the District Council have filed their affidavits in this regard.
Meanwhile, Legal Counsel for the respondent, Senior Advocate VGK Kynta, when asked about his take on the case, said, “This case will have wide ramifications… meaning, the custom of not allowing women to participate in Durbar Shnong or Village Durbar, leave alone participate in election of headman or contest for the post of headman, will now be open to all adult inhabitants of a village.”
