Shillong, Jun 16: Former Chief Executive Member in the KHADC Bindo Lanong and Advocate Erwin K. Syiem Sutnga have called for similar amendments in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) after the Governor approved changes making a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate mandatory for contesting Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
Governor C.H. Vijayashankar recently approved an amendment to the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts Rules, 1951, requiring all candidates to possess a valid ST certificate to contest GHADC polls. The change effectively ends non-tribal participation in GHADC elections, which had continued since the council’s establishment.
Reacting to the development, Lanong said it was “good for the GHADC to get the approval of the Governor on the amendment.”
“In the past we have had non-tribal members in the district council from Laban-Mawprem and Laitumkhrah. I think the GHADC has done its part and in Khasi Hills as well it will be good if they bring the amendment,” Lanong told Highland Post recently.
He added that the KHADC can follow the GHADC, stating that “this is a tribal institution and the Sixth Schedule is 100 per cent for the interest of the local indigenous tribes and it is important to do this by law.”
Advocate Erwin K. Syiem Sutnga said the matter of Rule 128 had already been taken up during the tenure of the late H.S. Shylla as KHADC Chairman, when P.N. Syiem was Chief Executive Member.
“I was a member of the committee set up then. Everything is already there. There is no need for setting up a committee at present. The only thing is the present EC-KHADC has to search for the records and get approval,” Sutnga said.
He said the committee had already recommended that candidates for elections “should belong to the indigenous tribes and also mentioned Khasi-Jaintia.”
Sutnga further said there should be “political consensus among political parties and political leaders for the larger interest of the state and come together when it comes to main issues.”
Meanwhile, opposition member from Laban-Mawprem MDC Ricky Shullai on Sunday said he is still not aware whether the KHADC has formed a committee to look into amendments to the council rules, including Rule 128.
He said that he will take up the matter in the KHADC budget session that will commence on Wednesday.
