Bill to define FOTD role & function soon

SHILLONG, NOV 18: Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will soon introduce a bill to clearly define the role and function of the newly constituted Federation of Traditional Dorbar (FOTD), which seeks to protect and strengthened the age-old customary practices and institutions of the indigenous community.

The decision was taken at the first sitting of the executive dorbar of the Federation of Traditional Dorbar (FOTD), which comprises of the representatives from the district council, dorbar Hima, dorbar shnong and dorbar raij falling under the jurisdiction of the KHADC on Wednesday.

“The Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Constitution of Federation of Traditional Dorbar) Bill, 2015 will be introduced in the upcoming session of the district council,” KHADC CEM Pynshngainlang N Syiem, who also heads the FOTD as chairman, told reporters after the meeting.

He informed the draft bill, which is still in its initial stage, will be further discussed in the next meeting of the FOTD scheduled to be held on December 3.

“After finalizing the draft bill, it would then be sent to the executive committee of the KHADC, which will place it before the House in the upcoming session for its approval before sending it to the Governor for his assent,” Syiem said.

The composition of the FOTD will include the Executive Dorbar and also the Dorbar Pynllun, he said adding that the size of the dorbar pyllun will not be less than 10, 000 representatives from the different Himas, Dorbar Shnongs, Dorbar Raijs.

“The size of the dorbar pyllun will also be decided based on the strength of these traditional institutions,” he said.

According to him, while the executive dorbar of the FOTD is having representatives from the district councils as well as from the different traditional institutions, the dorbar pyllun however will comprise of representatives of all the traditional institutions.

The FOTD chairman also informed that the meeting has decided the term of office of the members of the Executive Dorbar which will be for 3 years excluding the Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Executive Members (EMs).-By Our Reporter