Government agrees to approve VA bills

SHILLONG, MAY 27: Under pressure, the state government on Wednesday finally agreed to immediately forward the Village Administration Bills to empower traditional heads passed by the KHADC and JHADC to the Governor for his assent.

This assurance was given by Meghalaya District Council Affairs (DCA) minister HDR Lyngdoh at a separate meeting convened by him with the Chief Executive Members (CEMs) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) on Wednesday.

“We have agreed in principle to facilitate the smooth passage of the village administration bills of the two councils,” Lyngdoh told newsmen after the meeting.

While expressing his satisfaction on the draft bills, he, however, said, “But there are only minor defects in both the bills, correction of which will have to be carried out by the respective Executive Committees (ECs) of the two councils.”

When enquired, the minister, however, refused to divulge the nature of minor defects found in the bills.

Lyngdoh said, “From the government it will immediately forward the bills to the Governor for his assent, whenever the district councils are ready.”

According to him, all issues related to bill have been resolved in the presence of the officials from both the Law department and DCA department.

Meanwhile, the DCA Minister also appealled to the group led by former KHADC chief Adelbert Nongrum to end their indefinite hunger strike in view of the decision of the government on the matter.

Nongrum along with five others have been staging the indefinite fast for past 11 days, demanding the immediate passing of the KHAD (Village Administration) Bill, 2014 passed by the KHADC, 10 months ago, in view of the last year’s Meghalaya High Court ruling, which has stripped the powers of the traditional heads making them non-functional.

The failure of the government to pass the bills has also created huge public resentment.

“Since, we have agreed in principle to pass these bills, I appeal to them to withdraw their fast,” Lyngdoh said.

While the ball is now in the district council’s court, both the CEMs have expressed that the exercise of rectifying the ‘minor defects’ will be done at the earliest possible keeping in mind the huge public resentment on the issue.

“We will take up the matter immediately with the executive committee (EC) which will be convened at the earliest possible to ensure that we complete the exercise within a day or two,” KHADC chief Pynshngainlang N Syiem said.- By Our Reporter