HYC blames ADCs

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, January 19: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has blamed the autonomous district councils (ADCs) for their failure to formulate any law which clearly state and define the power and function of the Rangbah Shnong.

“All is vested in the ADCs, all they need is a political will and political commitment,” HYC general secretary Robert June Kharjahrin told reporters today.

According to Kharjahrin, lack of defined laws and also misuse of power by some of the traditiol heads has made these kind of situation arose.

In December 2014, the Meghalaya High Court, in a judgment and order passed while adjudicating on a writ petition filed by eight residents of different villages of East Jaintia Hills who wanted their fundamental rights to be protected, said, “Headmen have no power to issue any kind of certificate unless empowered by rule or laws”.

Meanwhile, HYC president Peter J Lawai said that if the headmen lose their powers than the people will be facing a lot of problems in the future especially people from rural area where they have to come far away for just one residential certificate and other documents.

Justice SR Sen, in his order said, “The headman of a locality did not derive any right from law and rule or from the Constitution to issue no–objection certificate for the purpose of birth/death or for registration of any document as well as for building permission and obtaining loan.”

Justice Sen was also of the view that in a state two parallel governments cannot run simultaneously. “It is the government, district administration and the police who are established by law and no assistance should be sought from any headman,” he said.

Moreover, Justice Sen warned the Meghalaya government, district administration and the police not to indulge or ask people to obtain a no–objection certificate from headmen, but they should function independently according to rules and laws.