Shillong, May 25: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Monday clarified why it decided to suspend the Syiem of Hima Mylliem, Ainam Manik Syiem, last week.
According to Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh, the office of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem, had a total income Rs 25.98 crore from 2018-2025 and, as per Condition 9 of the sanad, owed one-eighth of this to the KHADC. That amounts to Rs 3.24 crore but the Syiem paid only around Rs 12 lakh out of the amount due.
The KHADC had issued notices to the Syiem on a number of occasions but these were not honoured. “Therefore, on this basis the Syiem of Hima Mylliem was suspended,” the CEM said.
The Executive Member in charge of Elaka, Denzil Chen, said that there is no exemption clause in the dues owed by the Syiem to the KHADC. In addition, the Syiem owed 10 per cent of his market income to the KHADC but had “refused” to pay it.
“It is a mandatory provision to pay the 10 per cent and there is no exemption,” Chen added.
Chen also said that as per records available rates for collection of taxes are not mentioned and there is no open tender and are mostly collected by the Myntris. He said that as per the Act, there is provision for public auction, but this was also violated.
“They did things which undermined the authority of the council and therefore we had to take action,” Chen stated.
The Syiem has moved the High Court of Meghalaya to challenge his suspension.
