SHILLONG, Sep 11: The select committee of the KHADC entrusted with the delimitation exercise brushed aside the preference of a number of villages in West Khasi Hills wishing to remain under Mawshynrut constituency and instead attached them to Rambrai-Jyrngam constituency, allegedly under political pressure.
As a result, 21 villages in West Khasi Hills, under the polling stations of Misei, Mawsmai, and Langdongdai, have announced a boycott of the polls due to dissatisfaction with the select committee’s decision.
During public hearings, the villagers had clearly voiced their preference to remain under the Mawshynrut constituency. The citizens’ views were duly incorporated by the delimitation committee led by former KHADC judge Stralwell Kharsyiemlieh, but the select committee made last-minute changes to attach the 21 villages to Rambrai-Jyrngam.
Sources suggest that the select committee’s decision was influenced by political pressure from an MDC aligned with the NPP-led Executive Committee in the KHADC. “The question is why the Select Committee went against the recommendations of the delimitation committee to serve the political interests of a particular MDC,” said a source.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing the villages of Misei, Mawsmai, and Langdongdai has demanded that the 21 villages be reattached to the Mawshynrut constituency. The JAC has threatened continued protests and has vowed not to participate in the upcoming council elections unless their demand is met.
KHADC defends move
Defending the Council’s decision to attach 21 villages from three polling stations to the Rambrai-Jyrngam, the Deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM), Pynshngain N Syiem, said that the select committee’s decision was guided by the general sentiment in West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, and Eastern West Khasi Hills, where there is a preference for district council constituencies to align closely with Assembly constituencies.
“The Select Committee made adjustments to ensure that the district council constituencies mirror the Assembly constituencies as much as possible,” Syiem told reporters on Wednesday.
Acknowledging the petition from the 21 villages, which requested to stay within the Mawshynrut constituency, Syiem noted that it is too late to reverse the decision. He urged the villagers to remain patient, noting that a proper delimitation process will take place after the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is finalised.
Once passed, this amendment will increase the number of elected seats in the KHADC from 29 to 35, allowing for a more thorough delimitation.
For now, Syiem said, the upcoming elections will proceed according to the newly delimited constituencies, even if the 21 villages follow through on their threat to boycott the polls.
