Shillong, Oct 14: A tribunal mandated under the Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act is still nowhere to be seen as the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has not found a way to operationalise it.
The tribunal was mandated under a 2023 amendment to the act. The subject came up for discussion on the first day of the KHADC session here today.
Replying to a question by Sohra MDC Titostarwell Chyne of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) on steps for effective implementation of the Lineage Act, Executive Member in-charge of Law and Legal Matters, Deity Majaw, said the executive committee is determined to implement the act in letter and spirit.
Since the 2023 amendment, 113 Seng Kur (clan organisations) have been registered.
However, movement on the tribunal has stalled due to issues relating to expenses and the requirement of expert advocates.
Chyne described the delay as serious as the tribunal is meant to deal with disputes pertaining to clans.
“The expenditure will be huge,” Majaw said by way of explanation. “The tribunal will have many members and experts. We need at least an advocate with 10 years of experience. There are many hurdles. We are still deliberating and will discuss how to operationalise it.”
On the matter of Shaw Bhoi, a traditional practice among communities in Ri-Bhoi, Majaw informed the house that the EC is seeking expert opinion to constitute a committee to study the matter.
She said that while the 2023 amendment had included Shaw Bhoi, elders from Ri-Bhoi have now demanded further amendments. “We have formed a committee. We are awaiting expert opinions and names of members from Ri-Bhoi who know both the law and the custom of Shaw Bhoi. That is why it is still pending,” she explained.
