Shillong, Oct 15: A heated exchange erupted in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Wednesday after Chairman Strong Pillar Kharjana rejected a Zero Hour Notice regarding the Governor’s reported return of the Council’s Amendment Land Bill, citing the lack of official communication on the matter despite it being in the public domain.
Moving the notice, Laban MDC Ricky Shullai questioned the Chairman’s decision to disallow a discussion on a matter that he said was already in the public domain.
“We as members have the privilege to bring a zero hour discussion immediately after the question hour. What will it cost you, Chairman, to allow that? Why did you decline this zero hour notice?” Shullai asked.
He said the House was entitled to seek a response from the Executive Committee after Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of District Council Affairs Prestone Tynsong was quoted in newspapers as saying that the Bill had been returned.
“If you allow a discussion, we will get an answer from the Executive Committee. In the newspaper, the Minister in-charge of the District Council Affairs department, Prestone Tynsong, has made a statement (that the land bill has been returned by the Governor). So it is our privilege to get to speak and elaborate on this issue. I am deeply saddened as a Member that you did not allow this and you declined this,” Shullai said.
Defending his ruling, Kharjana maintained that the Chairman had the discretion to allow or reject such notices, particularly when no official communication had been received.
“As I said today, it is the decision of the Chairman to allow or not, especially when it is not official. It is the power of the Chairman. Whatever appears in newspapers is not authentic. What will we discuss when there is no official communication that has reached the Council?” Kharjana said.
Supporting the Chairman’s stand, KHADC Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh said there was nothing to discuss without official communication.
“As you have clarified, what will we discuss if the zero hour brought by the member is based only on newspapers and there is no written communication received by our office? What will we clarify? That is the clarification given by the Chairman,” Lyngdoh said.
