Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Pyniaid Sing Syiem expressed concern that some quarters are trying to endorse the thought that the state does not need district councils anymore.
Syiem said that it took 73 years to bring an amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution even as he asked how many more years will it take to get a new Act to protect the indigenous people.
“I don’t know who will listen to us in the Parliament (without the Sixth Schedule). We have only two Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha,” the CEM said.
Syiem was speaking during the 65th Death Anniversary of Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy, the architect of the district council.
Expressing concern over the demand by some people to do away with the district councils, Syiem said that such a claim is being made when the district councils of the state are fighting to insert some provisions in the amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution which will strengthen them.
He also said that Rev Nichols Roy was a farsighted leader even as he added that there are 10 autonomous district councils in the Northeast under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and some have been formed under state acts.
Syiem pointed out that Paragraph 3 of the Sixth Schedule gives power to the autonomous district councils to make laws.
“One of them is marriage law. Marriage licences to the various Churches are issued by the district council,” the CEM said.
Meanwhile, Deputy CEM Pynshngain N Syiem lamented the fact that an amendment of 1972, Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution destroyed the farsightedness of Rev Nichols Roy.
According to the Deputy CEM, the word to exempt central laws which was in the hands of the Governor this power was transferred to the President of India.
“This means we gave away the authority from the Governor, which means from the council of ministers of the state government, he has to listen to the state. But due to our mistake to exempt central laws this power was given to the President of India. He will not be advised by the council of ministers of Meghalaya. He will be advised by the council of ministers of the government of India. We missed the vision of the leader,” Pynshngain said.
He said with the amendment to the Sixth Schedule, the KHADC has taken measures to restore back the vision of Rev Nichols Roy. “Bringing back the power of exemption to the Governor, so that central laws like the CAA, UCC can be exempted only through a resolution of the district council,” he added.
