SHILLONG, JUN 18: Amidst protest and heated argument over the delimitation bill on the opening day of the budget session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Tuesday the proposed ‘Delimitation (Amendment) Bill of MDC Constituencies – 2013’ was however introduced.
Laitkroh MDC Carmel Sohtun, Mawkyrwat MDC EK Raswai, and Jaiaw MDC Adelbert Nongrum were some of the members who objected against the introduction of the bill and suggested that the bill to be sent back to the select committee for further examination.
So enraged was Sohtun at the proposed deletion of Laitkroh constituency of which he is the MDC, he shocked everyone by climbing on his chair and demanded the bill be put on hold.
Sohtun argued that as per the earlier bill proposed in 2008 which was however sent back to the KHADC by the District Council Affairs, there was no move to delete Laitkroh as a constituency. He termed the latest move to delete his constituency as an “injustice.”
Sohtun who also had withdrawn his support from Congress led KHUDA further stated that the sudden decision of the executive committee is very much against the sentiment of the people of the area while threatening to take other course of action if the bill is not to be re-consider.
Supporting Sohtun’s view, Raswai and Nongrum said that the bill should be sent back to the select committee and even alleged that the executive committee has failed to circulate the proposed bill to all the members of the house for their views and suggestions.
But to the chagrin of the three protesting MDCs majority of the MDCs said there is an urgent need to introduce the new bill as they said the suggestion of referring back the bill to the select committee will only delay delimitation.
Those supporting the delimitation bill suggested that amendments can be made if required on the last day of the session.
KHADC chairman Fabian Lyngdoh, however, granted the permission to the CEM to present the bill before the house. He also urged members to submit their amendments to the bill which will be again place before the house on June 20.
While presenting the bill, Syiem reiterated, “The issue pertaining to the delimitation is not a new thing as the bill was already passed in the same floor in 2008, which was also submitted to the State District Council Affairs for approval.” – By Our Reporter
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