The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), today met the Chief Secretary MS Rao to follow up on the letter sent by the party to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma two years ago on a proposal to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
In the November 2019 letter, the HSPDP had suggested that the state send a government resolution to the committee that has been constituted to amend the Sixth Schedule.
Specifically, the regional party wants a change to Paragraph 12 A(b) that would give the Meghalaya Governor powers reserved for the President of India.
Paragraph 12 A(b) reads – the President may, with respect to any Act of Parliament, by notification, direct that it shall not apply to an autonomous district or an autonomous region in the State of Meghalaya, or shall apply to such district or region or any part thereof subject to such exceptions or modifications as he may specify in the notification and any such direction may be given so as to have retrospective effect.
The HSPDP noted that there are several central acts and rules which affect the unique identity, cultural, land tenure and demographic structure of the state.
Meanwhile, HSPDP president, KP Pangniang, informed that the party will try to seek an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he visits Meghalaya later this month to impress upon him the need for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
