Parliamentary panel to submit report on proposed amendment of Sixth Schedule by March

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 18, 2020

SHILLONG: Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Anand Sharma has said that the committee will submit its report on the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India to the Parliament by March.

Sharma, also Congress Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, arrived here and held a meeting with representatives of the state government, autonomous district councils (ADCs) and other stakeholders at Hotel Pinewood on Saturday.

Meghalaya has three ADCs which include Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).

After the meeting, the chairman told reporters that the objective of his visit was to hear the stakeholders including the ADCs and tribal organizations about their views on the constitutional amendment which deals directly with the ADCS.

Terming the meeting to be a good one, Sharma however said, “I am not going to share any details.”

Asked by when is the committee likely to complete the process and submit its report and recommendations before the parliament, the Congress MP said, “Hopefully by the month of March.”

The meeting was also attended by opposition Congress led by its leader Mukul Sangma. Sangma said it was a privileged to have a deliberation as he refused to comment on the views of the party submitted before the parliamentary standing committee.

“It is an exercise for an amendment of the proposed legislation which is before the standing committee and until it is table before the parliament, it remains a secret document,” he said.

Again when sought for his views on the proposal to nominate unrepresented tribes in the three tribal district councils, the leader of opposition said, “Everything that we have articulated during the discussion remains confidential until the standing committee submits the report in the parliament.”

The KHADC led by its chief executive committee Latiplang Kharkongor along with stakeholders under the banner of the Meghalaya Indigenous Tribal Constitutional Rights Movement (MITCRM) have reiterated their strong opposition against the issue of unrepresented tribes.

Chairman of the KHADC, PN Syiem told reporters that the Council has also proposed that the number of seats be increased to 37 which include 35 elected and 1 of the 2 nominated seats will be reserved for women.

He said the delegation had also expressed the need to restore the powers of the Governor to exempt the state from the central laws besides including the word dorbar shnong in the proposed legislation.

To a question, Syiem said that the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee has assured that all the views and suggestions will be examined by the committee before submitting its recommendations to the parliament.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs will also examine the ground situation in the states of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura.