SHILLONG, AUG 5: Taking a cudgel at the Meghalaya district council affairs minister HDR Lyngdoh who had claimed that before tabling the district council delimitation bill in the house the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) should have sought the approval of the Governor, former deputy chief minister and UDP working president Bindo M Lanong contradicted by saying that there is no such provision in the sixth schedule of the Indian constitution.
Lyngdoh had recently said that KHADC should have taken the approval of the Governor prior to tabling the district council delimitation of the constituencies’ bill. He had also said that the three district councils Khasi, Jaintia and Garo, should submit fresh proposal for delimitation which in effect means that the constituencies for the coming elections of the district councils will remain the same.
Lanong told reporters on Monday, “There is no provision in the Sixth Schedule that stated that the autonomous district councils have to seek the prior approval of the Governor before they introduce any bills.”
Lyngdoh had even declared the delimitation bill passed by KHADC as null and void.
Buttering his claims, Lyngdoh had said as per para 3, all laws have to be submitted by the district councils to the Governor for his assent as he has the power to give his assent as per para 14 of the Sixth Schedule.
Lanong however contradicted Lyngdoh’s claims saying that the minister’s statement was “misleading and he demoted the Governor’s position who does not belong to any political parties.
Lanong said, “It very wrong to involve Governor in such issue as he has got his own powers.”
On Lyngdoh’s claim that the district council has now power to form the delimitation committee Lanong said, “The district council has also the powers to do so referring to former Chief Justice of Assam SK Dutta commission. He said in the past there have been many commissions constituted giving example of the SK Dutta which was constituted to enquire into affairs of the District councils.
Lanong, however, said that there is a need for delimitation of constituencies in every 20-25 years. He informed that the delimitation of constituencies was done thrice in Meghalaya since 1972 when it got statehood. The last time it was done was in the year 1983-84.
Lanong felt it is necessary to have delimitation considering the changes and development in term of population and others that have taken place during this span of time.-By Our Reporter
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