Only the High Court can stop the Dorbar Shnong’s decision whom to vote

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 21, 2019

JOWAI: The High Court of Meghalaya should intervene to stop the Dorbar Shnong in Jaintia Hills region to take decision whom to vote in the election, said a group of students who will be voting for the first time this MDC election.

The group of students on condition of anonymity expressed concern over the prevailing trends in Jaintia Hills region where the Dorbar Shnong would hold the Dorbar in their respective villages for taking unanimous decision that they will support a particular person from the village as their candidate in the MDC election.

Asked why they are against the decision of the Dorbar Shnong, they said first a group of top leaders of Dorbar confide amongst themselves and select any particular resident as probable candidate and then they will prevail upon their thought in the Dorbar and in one way or the other they will make their choice unanimous.

One of the students who is a political science honour said that the Constitution of India guarantee the Citizens of India the freedom of speech and expression meaning the freedom to express her/his opinion even in the form of votes: but when the Dorbar Shnong take such decision of supporting any particular resident as candidate they tramples the freedom of expression of the residents of particular village.

The decision of the Dorbar Shnong to support any candidate in the election comes with wraths for the residents of the village concerned as any resident on mere suspicion of going against the decision of the Dorbar will be deny any residential certificate or any assistance which is more or less like ostracizing.

The group of students said that though the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council enacted the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District (Establishment of Elaka and Village and Election, Appointment, Powers, Functions and Sirdars of Dolloi/Sirdar and Waheh Shnong) Act 2015 which defined the role and function of the Dolloi, Sirdar and Dorbar Shnong but they did not include any provision which will prevent the Dorbar Shnong to decide collectively whom to support in the elections.

A woman who resides in a village in one of the MDC Constituency within Jowai Town questioned, “Why should the Dorbar Shnong take a decision for me on whom to vote and that too only amongst the residents of the village”. She also said that some people on the behest of the Dorbar Shnong are spreading words that people who does not vote for the candidate decided by the Dorbar will face be deprive of all help from the Dorbar.

Strange the district administration is silence over such decision taken by the Dorbar Shnong rued the group of students.

They said that their only hope now is the High Court of Meghalaya to intervene and stop the Dorbar Shnong to interfere in election matter by taking decision of supporting any candidate.