SHILLONG, SEPT 23: Debates over the one man, one post preceded before Meghalaya law minister Rowell Lyngdoh could introduced the ‘Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Amendment Bill, 2015’ approved by the cabinet on Tuesday.
If the amended bill is passed by the assembly then legislator(s) who are also Member of the District Council (MDC) will have to resign from one of the posts as holding two post will become illegal.
Legislators, especially those who are also MDCs, got up on their feet to give their views on the issue of holding dual post with some pleading that the one man one post principle should be made effective from 2019, when the term of the present district council expires.
If the bill becomes an act, it will then come to force from October 1, 2015.
The amended bill seeks to delete item 9 from the Schedule to the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Act, 1972.
As per item 9 of the Schedule, the Chairman, Chief Executive Member and other Executive Members or ordinary members of a district council in an autonomous district or any member nominated to such district council by the Governor is not attracted from disqualification.
Before the bill could be introduced opposition leader Donkupar Roy raised a point of order. He said as per Rule 132 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, any matter, which is pending before a court of law cannot be discussed in the assembly, as it was sub-judice.
Even as UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh said that such a bill was required, he was however of the opinion that the amendment bill should take prospective and not retrospective effect.
Appreciating the bills of one man one post KHADC chief executive member and Congress MLA PN Syiem felt the bill should take effect when the term of the current council ends in early 2019.
HSPDP legislator KP Pangniang who is also an MDC said he will be one of the “victims” if the amendment bill was made effective during the current tenure of the council.
However his party colleague Ardent M. Basaiawmoit, who is an MDC too, informed that even before the bill was introduced he had decided to quit as MDC due to workload and hence did not see himself as a “victim” if the bill is enacted, as he did not draw any salary from the KHADC.
Justifying the introduction of the bills, chief minister Mukul Sangma informed that the Meghalaya high court had given a direction to the Governor to take a decision on the issue of dual post and inform the high court by September 29.”
Sangma said the timing for tabling bill is appropriate as it cannot be delayed.- By Our Reporter
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