KHADC chairman Pynshngain N Syiem blasts Governor, government

A Correspondent

SHILLONG: Chairman of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Pynshngain N Syiem on Saturday lashed out at the State Government and Governor Tathagata Roy for notifying elections to the posts of Chairman and Chief Executive Member (CEM) even though these are not vacated.

Apart from Chairman, Syiem, the incumbent CEM in the KHADC is Latiplang Kharkongor.

According to Syiem, the post of Chairman in the autonomous district council is through the election, also the post of CEM is elected by-election.

“This means Latiplang Kharkongor as CEM and me as Chairman we are elected by the House,” he said.

Syiem also said that as per the Rule 21 of the district council, as the CEM cannot be in office if the term of the House is over or he resigns or if he is removed by no-confidence motion.

“He (Latiplang) did not resign, he has not been removed and the term has not ended,” he added.

As for the post of Chairman, one can vacate the office if he resigns, secondly removed through a resolution as per 107 of the rules of the district council and thirdly if the term of the MDC ends.

“Nothing of this sort has happened yet. Therefore I am still the chairman,” Syiem said.

He also said that the state government time and again says that the Governor has to act on the advice of the council of ministers, which is not true.

Syiem, however, said that the present Governor had himself said that he does not want to meddle in the district council since it is an autonomous body.

He also pointed out that even the High Court has stated that the Governor does not have discretion and has to act as per rules and provisions of the Sixth Schedule.

It may be mentioned that on Friday, the Administrator’s Rule in KHADC was revoked.

The Governor had imposed Administrator’s Rule in the KHADC on February 7, this year following a political crisis. Since late last year, there has been frequent defection from one party to another by MDCs of the council.

Meanwhile, the election for the post of Chairman of the KHADC will be held on March 17 while the election for the post of new Chief Executive Member (CEM) will be held on March 18 as per the respective notifications from the District Council Affairs department.

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