By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 10: A special committee constituted by the KHADC will need to either fine-tune and rectify the defects of the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2022 or amend the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997, as suggested by the government.
Deputy Chief Executive Member Pynshngainlang N. Syiem, who heads the special committee, said the state government suggested the amendment of the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997, making a separate bill redundant.
“The committee, expected to meet soon, will have to decide which option to take,” he said on Friday.
The special committee will then submit the report to the Executive Committee to take a final call, he added.
The members of the special committee include senior MDC Bindo Lanong and Leader of the Opposition Titosstarwell Chyne.
Earlier, the council’s CEM, Pyniaid Sing Syiem stated that the current EC is determined to approve the bill in the next session.
The KHADC had unanimously decided to recall the bill during the two-day special session of the council in September.
The clan bill was previously returned by the state government due to its inconsistency with the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997.
The Deputy CEM stated that the government had contacted the KHADC for clarity given that the term “clan” appears in both the Lineage Act and the Clan Bill.
The CEM had said the Law Department had underlined the conflict between the bill and the Act.
“After properly going through the bill, we also noticed the conflict between the two bills. It is for this reason we decided to refer the matter to the advisory committee,” he had said.
