Shillong, Oct 24: Governor CH Vijayashankar has granted his approval to six KHADC Bills, including Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Administration of Elaka) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 related to functioning of women and youth organisations within a village dorbar.
The KHAD (Administration of Elaka) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is very important as it seeks to recognise the functioning of women and youth organizations within a village dorbar” said KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem.
“Six of the seven pending Bills, have been cleared and assented (by the Governor),” Syiem added. The others Bills cleared by the governor are – KHAD (Nomination and Election of the Lyngdoh, Myntri, Lyngdoh Raid and Sordar Shnong and Administration of Sohiong Lyngdohship, 2023; KHAD (Regulation and Administration of Land) Rules, 2023; United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District Fishery (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the KHAD (Trading by Non-Tribals) (Amendment) Rules, 2023.
The erstwhile Elaka Administration 1991 also did not include day-to-day functioning and administration of dorbar shnong and functioning of seng samla or seng longkmie/kynthei. “We felt it’s high time seng kynthei or seng samla be officially involved, he said any outsider or any resident from outside the state, who wish to come to stay in any area under KHADC jurisdiction for any purpose, has to go through registration with the local authorities.
According to the CEM, the Bill would also help address the issue of influx by ensuring that people from inside and outside the state have to register themselves with the dorbar shnong if they come to stay as tenants within the jurisdiction of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
Earlier, people from around the state could stay in such places or rent a house without informing the local authorities, he said. “The Administration of Elaka Act, 2023 clearly says that anyone – Khasi or non-Khasi – coming to the village or locality should register themselves. This will help maintain a day-to-day register of people coming and going from a locality. It will also help the district administration or police (in case of crime),” he added further.
Asked if the Act would not clash with the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act
(MRSSA), which also mandated the need for tenants to register with the dorbar shnong, Syiem said, “I will not judge on that but from Khasi Hills we have done our part.” The Bill, which has become an Act, will also help address the issue of drug peddlers and drug trafficking, which is on the rise in Meghalaya, he said.
