KHADC: Shylla seeks amendment of constitution

FROM A REPORTER

SHILLONG, June 27: Nongkrem MDC H S Shylla on Tuesday sought amendment of the AD rules of KHADC. 

Speaking at an event held on the occasion of 65th District Council Day of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council on Thursday, Shyla said, “There is a need to amend the constitution and the AD rules where as bills passed by the KHADC should be treated at par with the bills passed by the legislative assembly,” 

Speaking to reporters after the interactive session to discuss on the Sixth Schedule and the challenges of the present generation, Shylla said that at present bills passed by the KHADC have to be submitted to the Governor for his assent but the Governor can also withhold his assent and this is what has happened now.

“What we want is bills passed by the District Council should be sent to the Governor and if he does not give his assent, he sends the bill back with a message to the Council, however when the bill is being sent to the Governor for a second time as per the constitution, he must give his assent on the bill as is the case with bills passed by the Legislative Assembly,” he said.

He however said that if the Governor finds the bill to be unconstitutiol he can forward it to the President of India.

Shylla while stating that bills passed by the District Council should not go through the DCA department, he said “At present we have to inquire from the District Council Affairs (DCA) or Chief Minister on the pending bills passed by the District Council and this implies that the KHADC is a department of the State government and it is an insult to the word autonomous body,” Shylla said.

Recollecting on the long list of bending bills passed by the Council, he said, “The Police Bill passed during the time of Hoping Stone Lyngdoh is still pending.” Earlier, KHADC CEM P N Syiem said that there is a need to restore back the powers of the District Council as had been the case through Para 12A and 12B.