One day after the nephews of the previous Syiem of Hima Nongspung, Patrick Syiemiong, claimed that their uncle had been unfairly removed from office by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) in 2019, Jambor War, the Executive Member in charge of Elaka Administration, maintained that the council had followed the rules of suspension to the letter.
War said that Syiemiong had failed to provide answers to the complaints made against him, including that he had given permission to the Assam government to construct a road on Meghalaya territory.
Based on the complaints Syiemiong was suspended and an inquiry was constituted to search out the truth. However, Syiemiong failed to appear before the district council court when summoned twice, War stated. If the allegations made against him are proven false then Syiemiong will be reinstated, but if not then action will be taken according to the law.
The KHADC had replaced Syiemiong with an Acting Syiem, Tiewborlang Syiemlieh. War said that this was also perfectly proper as the KHADC could not appoint a full-fledged Syiem from another clan, but doing so for an Acting Syiem was kosher so long as the appointee had an understanding of the customary practices and rules of the Hima.
