Govt’s ordinance to empower headmen

SHILLONG, MAY 9: Meghalaya government will bring an ‘ordinance’ to empower headmen whose powers had been clipped because of the high court ruling last year. However, the ordinance is a stopgap arrangement till the state government finds a permanent solution to legislate laws that clearly defines the role and power of the traditional institutions in the state.

Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the meeting on Friday night, “Since the house is not in session, we have decided to work on an ordinance which again will be re-examined by the cabinet on Monday.”

Sangma said that the ordinance is to ensure that the involvement of the traditional institutions and traditional heads in all developmental activities of the government continues. He informed it is clear that certain things are linked with the traditional institutions like headmen for development programmes of government.

Sangma said it is the responsibility of the state legislature to give mandate to ensure the involvement of traditional institutions and heads in matters of developmental programmes.

Sangma also assured that the ordinance will not interfere with the responsibility and power of the district councils who are the custodian of the customary laws and practices.

Sangma said during his recent meeting with KHADC CEM he had made it clear to him that there are legislative responsibility of the state government and therefore it is a question of sharing the responsibility and responding to this responsibility based on the mandate of the constitution.

On the demand for passing of the village administration Bills of the KHADC and JHADC, Sangma said, “Look at few initiative of the government, we have invited leaders of all political parties, stakeholders, traditional institutions, heads to start engaging in a dialogue, to have an in depth discussion and ultimately emerged with clarity on to how empower and institutionalize these institutions.’

Sangma said this exercise is being done by the government based on the need for involving in a much more broader spectrum all traditional institutions and heads that will be determine by the outcome of this engagement. He said the government will take various views into consideration.

The committee is headed by the government’s chief adviser DD Lapang and it will take all valuable suggestions from the stakeholders. – By Our Reporter