‘Depoliticise district councils, reduce MDCs’ tenure among
Shillong, Oct 31: The demand for implementation of the Instrument of Accession (IoA) and Annexed Agreement (AA), which was signed with Khasi states after India’s independence, has been raised from time to time in order to grant more autonomy for the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.
The latest to raise the demand is Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO), which on Wednesday urged governor CH Vijayashankar to impress upon the Centre to constitute a committee to implement IoA & AA signed by 25 Khasi states on August 17, 1948.
Till implementation of IOA & AA, the HITO suggested some “interim measures” for consideration by the Centre, including the need for de-politicisation and or barring political parties from the autonomous district councils.
The HITO referred to Section 15 of Meghalaya Municipal (Amendment) Act 2000, which states, “Sec 15A. Political Parties barred to contest elections – No person shall be allowed to contest a municipal election on the ticket or the symbol of a political party recognised by the Election Commission of India.”
This amendment was brought to convince 32 village dorbars in Shillong that no party-based politics would be allowed to undermine the traditional customs of dorbars.
It also suggested the need for one of the chiefs by rotation (Syiem, Lyngdoh, Sirdar or Wahadar) of Hima/Elaka in KHADC and Dolloi in JHADC shall be elected as chairman of KHADC and JHADC respectively.
The KHADC has seen a record 43 chief executive members (CEMs) in KHADC in a span of six decades, HITO president Donbok Dkhar pointed out in the letter to the governor.
The political instability has resulted in non-completion of critical and important codification of the social and customary laws and practices of the 54 Khasi and 19 Jaintia Hima/Elaka’s for the past 69 years, it said.
Other than the autonomous district councils, the HITO also sought constitutional recognition to traditional bodies of Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo people.
HITO also sought reduction of the tenure of members of district council from five to four years and House session for 20 days every month so as to complete quality legislation and codification.
Besides, the HITO pitched for five elected “MDCs at Large” of the 30 MDCs whose electorate would include the entire district council.
