SHILLONG:
Days after the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) rejected the idea of village councils in the state, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday told a delegation that the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution includes both `village council’ and `village dorbar.’
“The CM has clarified that in the proposed amendment approved by the cabinet, the term `village dorbar’ is also included along with `village council’ as applicable. In other words, in Garo Hills they may accept the `village council, but in Khasi-Jaintia Hills the `village dorbar” is applicable,” KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne, told reporters here after a meeting.
Besides, the chief minister will soon lead a delegation of the state, including the autonomous district councils (ADCs), to Delhi for discussion on the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule.
“He (CM) has given us the assurance that before the amendment is placed in the next session, a meeting will be held in Delhi. The chief minister along with all the ADCs will be going to Delhi for more discussion on the matter,” Chyne said.
The CEM said that in view of this, the question of `village council’ in Khasi and Jaintia Hills does not arise.
Also present in the meeting was leader of opposition in the KHADC Pynshngain N Syiem.
The delegation had sought clarification regarding the term `village council’ in the proposed amendment.
Last week, the KHADC had unanimously decided to oppose the state cabinet approval to have village councils in the state.
“We would like to ensure that the words `village dorbar’ are not removed,” he said while asserting that all traditional practices and institutions should be strengthened as per the new amendment to the Sixth Schedule.
The CEM informed that the meeting of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) had decided to seek clarity on the views of the state government on the matter.
The UDA in its meeting on February 3 had taken strong exception to an approval given by the state cabinet related to the formation of village councils as proposed in the Sixth Schedule amendment.
“We do not agree with the proposal to have village councils as we already have our existing dorbar shnongs. The existence of village councils will be in conflict with our existing traditional dorbar shnongs and their functions,” the CEM had then said.
The KHADC also had doubts whether there would be a cluster where some village councils will be merged into one since, in that case, a headman of one of the villages will be the chairman of the cluster. This will bring a conflict in the system, the KHADC felt.