‘Will examine creation of regional council’

SHILLONG, JAN 5: Meghalaya government will soon examine the suggestions of the traditional chiefs that include creation of a separate regional council and decide how feasible it is to accommodate the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Chief minister Mukul Sangma assured the delegation of the traditional chiefs under the umbrella of the Grand Council of Chiefs in Meghalaya (GCCM) during a meeting on Monday.

“The CM has assured us that he will take up the matter to see how our issues can be addressed in the forth coming proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which is at its advanced stage,” GCCM chairman John F Kharshiing told reporters after the meeting.

According to Kharshiing the chiefs have decided to seek the immediate intervention of the chief minister in view of the interest shown by the centre to their proposal.

In its letter dated November 2 last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed the Meghalaya government to submit a ‘status report’ related to the implementation of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement signed with the Khasi States in 1947.

Kharshiing informed that the chief minister had assured that he would soon hold a meeting to discuss the matter.

Kharshiing said that the need for creation of a separate regional council or legislative body for the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo indigenous tribal governing institutions of Meghalaya is in accordance of the recommendations of the National Commission for Review of the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission which have officially submitted and placed the reports before the parliament.

Kharshiing, however, said, “We however want that the matter should be decided keeping in view the terms of the Agreed Text Settlement signed between the ANVC and the centre and state governments to fulfill the National commitment made to the Khasi States on December 15, 1947.”

Kharshiing also said the traditional chiefs in its dorbar held recently have unanimously decided to reject the idea of participating in the present party based district councils. According to him the reason for this decision is that the chiefs and their traditional governing institutions are party-less institutions.

During the meeting, the chiefs have also urged the state government to call the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to the negotiating table and resolving the age old boundary dispute with Assam besides other issues.- By Our Reporter