Re-election sought

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JULY 31: A former sordar of Raid Mawshun Joy James Roy Khongmawloh has threatened to knock on the Meghalaya High Court’s door for conduct of re-election to the post of sordar after the KHADC allegedly refused to act on the complaint against election committee’s chairman.

Addressing newsmen here, Khongmawloh alleged the chairman of the election committee Hilarius Pyngrope of violating the KHAD (Administration and Elections of Sordar of Saw Raid, Khyrim Syiemship) Act, 1997 while conducting the election of sordar of Raid Mawshun held on July 15.

Khongmawloh, who was a former sordar for 13 years, was one among the three candidates – which include Lamiki Khongdkhar and Dapkupar Tariang – contesting for the post of sordar in which over 1900 voters from six villages under the Raid under Hima Khyrim Syiemship took part in the election.

The election was conducted at Pomshuthia on the basis of secret ballot. The result of the election was declared on the same day in which Lamiki Khongdkhar was declared as the newly elected sordar of the Raid Mawshun.

He however said that Pyngrope, whose role as a chairman was supposed to be neutral as per the Act, instead was taking side by bulldozing the supporters of the two candidates in which their ballot papers were taken away from them to ensure Khongdkhar wins through unfair means.

Khongmawloh further alleged this was because of a two-lane road project from Umshyrpi to Tamabil in which the government will be sanctioning money to the dorbar raid.

On the other hand, a counting agent in one of the polling stations Junestwelve Syngkrem said that the chairman cannot proof that around 30 ballot papers out of 463 voters were missing from Lapadang polling station.

“When I asked for the voter’s slip, the chairman came up with an excuse they have thrown them away. I then asked him to take us to the place where they have dumped them because polling and counting was done on the same day but he refused,” Syngkrem said.

He also argued that it is a violation by the chairman for throwing the voter’s slip even before declaring the result of the election.

Moreover, Syngkrem said Lamiki Khongdkhar, who is also the headman of Mawshun village, has finalized an additional list of around 195 voters from the village, mostly comprise of under-age voters which is in violation of the Act, which stated that voters should attained the age of 18 years.

“We have their birth certificates with us which shows that they just 14 and 15 years of age. Interestingly of these, seven voters are also not even residents of Raid Mawshun,” he said.

In view of this, Khongmawloh said that he had submitted a complaint to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and also the Syiem of Hima Khyrim for necessary action against the newly elected sordar Khongdkhar and the chairman Hilarius Pyngrope.

“Despite the assurance of the KHADC EM in-charge Elaka Latiplang Kharkongor to take up this matter, but recently the KHADC has instead directed the Syiem to issue sanad (appointment) to Khongdkhar as the sordar of the Raid Mawshun,” he said.

Asked, the former sordar said that if the KHADC fails to address this matter, he would be compelled to file a petition before the Meghalaya High Court to ensure that free and fair re-election is conducted at the earliest.