The delimitation committee recently formed by the executive committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to examine the demand to reorganise the boundaries of some constituencies has announced the dates for a public hearing to allow stakeholders to give their suggestions.
Former KHADC judge and Chairman of the committee, Stralwell Kharsyiemlieh informed that on November 21 the public hearing will be held in South West Khasi Hills in the office of the council in Mawkyrwat.
On November 24, a public hearing for Eastern West Khasi Hills will be held and the committee will hold a public hearing for East Khasi Hills in two phases – November 28 for Sohryngkham, Mawkynrew, Nongkrem, Langkyrdem-Laitkroh, Nongskhen and Mawsynram. The second phase will be held on December 13, for other constituencies of the district – Mylliem, Laban-Mawprem, Nongthymmai, Laitumkhrah-Malki, Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah, Jaiaw, Mawlai, Mawphlang-Diengiei and Nongspung-Sohiong. Both these hearings will be held in the office of the KHADC in Shillong.
Syiemlieh said that since East Khasi Hills has the maximum number of constituencies, if the public hearing cannot be completed in a single day and if time permits, more time will be given to stakeholders to put in their suggestions and views.
On December 1 the public hearing will be held in Sohra for the Sohra and Shella constituencies.
On December 6 a public hearing will be held for five constituencies under Ri-Bhoi at the council’s office in Nongpoh. These constituencies are Jirang, Nongpoh, Mawhati, Umsning and Umroi.
On December 15 the public hearing will be held in West Khasi Hills for Nongstoin, Rambrai-Jyrngam and Mawshynrut in the district council’s office in Nongstoin.
These public hearings will be held from 11am to 4pm.
“We as the delimitation committee urge the public of all the constituencies under the KHADC to come forward and give their suggestions and views to reorganise them,” Syiemlieh said.
As of now, Mawlai constituency has the highest number of voters with around 45,000 as per the 2019 MDC elections and Laban-Mawprem has the fewest with only 12,000.
Syiemlieh informed that the KHADC has received representations to alter the borders of some constituencies which is why the EC formed the delimitation committee.
Committee member DRL Nonglait said that a new district, Eastern West Khasi Hills, was formed after the 2019 election and some areas of one constituency fall under one district and others in another.
Nonglait also said that the jurisdiction of some areas in the MDC polls fall under one constituency while in the MLA elections they fall under another constituency and therefore these need to be restructured.
Syiemlieh had urged the traditional heads to come to these hearings since they will be in a better position to say which areas are nearest to which constituencies.
The delimitation committee includes chairperson Kharsyiemlieh, who is a retired judge in the District Council Court, secretary M Kharkrang, a retired Secretary of the KHADC, along with three members – ex-MLA S Loniak Marbaniang, retired school teacher R Myrboh, professor D Rockyer L. Nonglait.
