The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has released some amount of pension to 33 former MDCs.
This was informed by KHADC lawyer Vivan G K Kynta today during hearing of a writ petition filed by former MDC James Ban Basaiawmoit and 21 others in the Meghalaya High Court’s bench of Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew.
Kynta said that as per the commitment given to the High Court on December 13, 2023, certain amounts have been released to 33 former MDCs.
He further told the court that the KHADC is committed to servicing and paying off the outstanding amounts to the retired MDCs.
He further requested the court that since the process of payment of pension to former MDC is underway, the case should be closed.
However, Banylla F. Kharwanlang, the lawyer for the petitioners voiced her objection with regard to the paltry sum which has been given to the former MDCs.
Kharwanlang also pleaded with the High Court to keep the writ petition pending to ensure that the KHADC adhered to the commitment given before the court.
However, Justice Thangkhiew is of the view that as the payments have commenced, the writ petition can be closed at this stage with liberty to the writ petitioners to institute fresh proceedings in the event that the commitment is not honoured.
The court also closed the writ petition and disposed of the matter.
It may be mentioned that in 2002, the then Executive Committee of KHADC had introduced the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (Members Pension) Act, 2002. The bill received assent from the Governor in 2006.
Though the bill had received Governor’s assent, the former MDCs did not receive their pension.
This forced eight former MDCs to file a writ petition in the Meghalaya High Court. In January 2009, following the instruction of the court, the KHADC had implemented the pension scheme.
However, since March 2012, the pension has been stopped and the former MDCs received only 50 per cent of the total pension amount.
Then Chief Executive Member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne took the initiative to again release the pending pension. The present Executive Committee led by CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem recently took the decision to release the remaining 50 per cent of the pension scheme of all former MDCs.
At present, the former members of KHADC get only Rs 5,000 per month as pension.
