This happened during the election of headmen of Laitumkhrah that was conducted by the election committee constituted by the Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem on Saturday (Sep 24, 2022).
Before the election prior announcement was made with instruction that shops and business establishments are to close on the day of the election and it is learnt that no order was issued by the district administration to permit closure of shops.
On Friday (Sep 23), some boys who introduced themselves as Seng Samla entered most of the shops around Laitumkhrah and threatened that they were to close the shop during the election of Rangbah Shnong from 9am to 12 noon. Also whenever Dorbar Shnong was convened in earlier years no such call for bandh or closure of shops was ever issued by previous Dorbars.
The intimidating step taken by some elements took everyone by surprise and most shopkeepers were wary of the situation and citizens who usually proceed for morning marketing were left in awe as civil liberty got hindered.
And since the standing order of the Meghalaya High Court prohibits call for bandhs, closure to medical shops and other business establishments, the failure of the district administration to tackle such incidents has prompted those with vested interest to issue diktats at their whims in the name of Dorbar Shnong.
Therefore it is time that all Dorbar Shnongs be brought under uniform rules of functioning throughout as failure to bring them into the ambit of the law will create further situations in which normal life of citizens get affected and mostly which will go unreported.
