HITO seek Meghalaya Guv’s intervention to urge Centre implement IOA & AA

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 30, 2024

The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) on Wednesday sought the intervention of the Governor CH Vijayashankar to urge the Centre to constitute a special committee for implementation of the Instrument of Accession (IOA) and Annexed Agreement (AA) signed by the 25 Khasi states on August 17, 1948.

In a letter to the Governor, HITO president Donbok Dkhar said, “We request your urgent kind consideration and intervention with the office of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Union Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to urgently consider the constitution of a special committee to be chaired by Hon’ble Union Home Minister, to make effect and implement the National Solemn Commitments of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement signed and accepted by Shri. C Rajagopalachari, Governor General of India and the Twenty Five Khasi States /Federation of Khasi States on 17 August 1948. (Refer National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST) directives and communication to the MHA during April 2012 and Oct/Nov 2014).”

Dkhar also said that HITO has suggested interim measures for consideration by the Centre till such time the national solemn commitments as agreed in the IOA and AA are implemented.

The interim suggestions include the need for de-politicization and or barring political parties (recognized by the Election Commission) from the District Councils of Meghalaya as done in the 4th April 2000 notification amendment of The Meghalaya Municipal (Amendment) Act 2000 wherein section 15 was inserted stating “Sec 15A. Political Parties barred to contest elections – No person shall be allowed to contest a municipal election on the ticket or the Symbol of a political party recognized by the Election Commission of India”. The HITO said this amendment was done to convince the 32 village traditional Rangbah Shnong in the city that no party based politics would be allowed to undermine the traditional customs of the Dorbar Shnong’s in the city.

It also suggested the need for one of the Chiefs by rotation (Syiem, Lyngdoh, Sirdar or Wahadar) of Hima/Elaka in KHADC and Dolloi in JHADC shall be elected as Chairman of the KHADC and JHADC respectively as this is a constitutional institution meant for protection of the social and customary laws and practices of the Khasi and Jaintia people and to ensure stability of the Council which has seen a record 43 Chief Executive Members in the KHADC in a span of six decades resulting in the non-completion of the critical and important codification of the social and customary laws and practices of the 54 Khasi and 19 Jaintia Hima/Elaka’s for last 69 years. Only a few Acts and Rules have been framed for the Hima/Elaka which has caused immense conflict confusion and led the Chiefs to endlessly seek litigation from the courts of Law.

The letter also asserted the urgent need to constitutionally recognize the tribal political institution of the Khasi, Jaintia, Nokma people such as Syiem, Lyngdoh, Sirdar, Wahadar, Dolloi, Dorbar Hima at the apex level, Syiem, Lyngdoh, Basan, Myntri, Banthai, Sordar, Dorbar Raid at the provincial leval and Rangbah Shnong, Sordar Shnong, Myntri Shnong, Dorbar Shnong at the Level of the Dorbar Shnong level by name in a special article of the Constitution of India.

Further, the HITO has emphasized the need to reduce the tenure of the District Council members from five years to four years and the need for a provision that the District Council Sessions must be held for a period of 20 days every month so as to complete quality legislation and codification.

It also added that there is a need to include “recall” provisions enabling twenty five percent (25%) of the illegible constituency electorate to sign a recall of their representatives and holding of fresh elections or to include “run-off ’’ provisions where the winner must be voted by 60% of the votes failing which a run-off must be conducted. There is need to conduct proper delimitation of the MDC Constituencies so as to ensure that the number of voters in each constituencies are same between the three Autonomous District Councils (KHADC JHADC and GHADC).

The HITO also proposed the need to include five elected “MDCs at Large” out of the 30 MDCs whose constituencies /electorate would include the entire District Councils

“Having “MDCs at Large” would greatly enhance the quality of debates and discussions of the three ADCs. The views, opinions, suggestions and focus of the MDCs at Large would always be in the larger interest of the District Councils,” it stated.