SHILLONG, MAR 31: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has demanded that the Centre and State governments implement a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to exclude illegal immigrants from the electoral process and amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, to restrict benefits to indigenous tribes of Meghalaya.
“We cannot deny the fact that there is illegal immigration in Meghalaya and these illegal infiltrators have not only encroached or settled in the land belonging to the indigenous people but most of them have also been able to take part in the election process,” CoMSO chairman Roykupar Synrem said after chairing the executive committee meeting of the confederation on Tuesday.
Synrem said the SIR is needed to “purify the electoral roll” and prevent dual voting, citing instances of residents of Assam’s border villages voting in both states.
“Pure electoral roll is the backbone of democracy,” he quoted the Chief Election Commissioner as saying.
On the ST Order, 1950, Synrem said it recognises 53-54 tribes in Meghalaya, including those from other NE states, allowing them to buy land, contest elections, and do business without restrictions.
“This has allowed tribal communities from other states to have the same rights like us… whereas it is not reciprocated for the Khasis, Jaintias or the Garos in other states,” he said.
CoMSO has written to the Union Home Ministry and Election Commission of India, urging SIR implementation and amendment of the ST Order, 1950.
Synrem said they will meet political parties, traditional institutions, and stakeholders to create awareness on the issue and give the government a deadline to take it up with the Centre.
“We will be writing to the state government within this week itself that it should take these issues seriously. We give the state government a deadline that within this specific period these issues should be taken up with the central government, with the ECI and the authorities concerned which are dealing with these two specific issues,” he said.
“We will also be writing and meeting to all political parties in the state of Meghalaya and through them they will be taking up with their own respective MLAs because it will not be able for us to meet all the 60 MLAs but we will be meeting the president and secretary of each of the political parties that are there in the state,” he added further.
By Our Reporter
