State government denies role in KHADC's instability

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, March 20: The political instability in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) came up for discussion in the on-going Budget session of the Meghalaya Assembly today.

Replying during the Question Hour today, District Council Affairs Minister, HDR Lyngdoh said that the State government does not interfere in the formation and functioning of the Executive Committee (EC) of the district councils “except under the provision of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951 as amended.”

Leader of Opposition, Dr Donkupar Roy said that the reply of the government that it was not involved in destabilising the All Regiol Parties Alliance (ARPA) was difficult to believe.

Dr Roy asked under what purpose the government chose to nomite a member who is from the Opposition side in the council - Congress. It may be reminded that the government had nomited Gabriel Wahlang, former Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress leader, to the KHADC on February 27.

The DCA Minister, in his reply, said that the government had to nomite a member so as to fulfill its Constitutiol obligation. “By nomiting a member from the Opposition, the government has reduced the comparative strength of ARPA which amounts to destabilising the ARPA led EC,” Dr Roy said.

In his response, Lyngdoh said that the election to the KHADC was held a year ago and there was no information that the EC had recommended mes for the nomition of a member. “The House was incomplete which is not proper,” the DCA Minister said. Countering the charges, the Opposition leader said that if the government can wait for a year before nomiting a member, then why could it not wait for another six months. Another UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh also chipped in and asked if there was a constitutiol obligation on the part of the government, it should have also nomited a member in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC).

Dr Roy also accused the government that by imposing Administrator’s Rule in the KHADC it was encouraging defection and said that “it was uncalled for and not as per the Constitution”.

Meanwhile, the DCA minister quoted a report wherein the Opposition leader himself said that administrator’s rule should be imposed in KHADC if such things go on. But Lyngdoh said that Dr Roy has now changed his stand.

 Dr Roy was reacting to the resigtion of UDP MDC from Mawkyrwat, Hadrian Lyngdoh - who joined the People’s Democratic Forum (PDF).

Dr Roy also urged the government to call for a special session of the KHADC to elect a new Chief Executive Member (CEM).  Congress legislator from Mawsynram, PN Syiem said that the instability in KHADC was due to the absence of anti-defection law and was not created by the government.

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