SHILLONG, AUG 3: The Select Committee will soon be sitting to enable the re-introduction and consideration of the two bills related to residential and benami transaction in the upcoming session of the State Legislative Assembly.
This was revealed after a meeting convened by chief minister Mukul Sangma with the 13 pro- ILP groups to review the overall progress of the comprehensive mechanism to address issue of illegal immigration and influx.
Earlier during the assembly session held on March this year, the state government has referred the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Bill, 2016 to the select committee.
The bills attracted severe criticism allegedly for ‘out of context’ from the objective of having a comprehensive mechanism. The bill was also viewed as a legislation which will not only harass the indigenous community and instead facilitates influx and illegal immigration to enter the state.
On the other hand, the Select Committee will also review the Meghalaya (Banami Transactions Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Addressing newsmen, Sangma said, “The Select Committee will immediately sit after Independence Day’s celebration to enable to take back the bills for consideration of the Assembly in its next session.”
Stating that the issue has been eluding solutions, Sangma however said, “But now that we have been able to work on this comprehensive mechanism, I hope we will be able to do justice as far as interest and aspiration of the people is concerned.”
The nine legislators who are members of the select committee include UDP MLA Metbah Lyngdoh, HSPDP MLA Ardent M Basaiawmoit, Independent MLA John Leslee K Sangma, UDP MLA Jemino Mawthoh, MLA Hopeful Bamon, MLA C Momin, Independent MLA Saleng A Sangma, UDP MLA Embhahlang Syiemlieh and NPP MLA Nihim D Shira.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the 13 pro-ILP groups appealed to the state government and all political parties to take steps in ensuring more effective and strong provisions are included in the two bills.
“We have stressed the need to include more effective and strong provisions in the two bills, and also ensure they become Acts at the earliest,” FKJGP president Joe Mawwein told reporters.
On the other hand, KSU chief Daniel Khyriem informed that the 13 NGOs would again submit their suggestions in a meeting to be convened on August 16.
Stating the public support and cooperation is important, Khyriem said, “The cooperation of all is required to ensure effective implementation of the laws.”
When asked, he said, “Even after the bills become acts, we would continue to review their effectiveness and if there are lacunae, we will again urge the government to initiate further fine tuning.” According to him, the state government has already accepted the suggestion of the ngos in as far as exemption of local indigenous people from the purview of the residential bill is concerned.-By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours