The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), one of the three autonomous tribal councils in Meghalaya, today passed the special rules aimed at empowering the tribal chiefs and traditional institutions whose powers were clipped by a High Court ruling last year.
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Appointment and Succession of Chiefs and Headmen) Rules, 2015, was passed at a special session convened by the KHADC, which the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and Khun Hynniewtrep Awakening Movement (KHNAM) members also supported.
"We have approved and passed the rules with the intention to have a clear definition on powers and functions of the headmen, the executive members and the dorbar shnongs (village councils)," KHADC CEM P N Syiem told reporters after the session.
He said the rules were framed as per the Khasi-Jaintia Hills Autonomous District (Appointment and Succession of Chiefs and Headmen) Act, 1959 which had been pending.
The approval of the rules under the 1959 Act was approved in view of last year's High Court ruling, which has stripped off the powers and functions of the tribal chiefs (village headmen) barring them from issuing any kind of certificates.
The rules would come into force after it was being notified in the Meghalaya Gazette, Syiem said adding his executive committee was on the job to speed up the process.
"This will now pave way for the Rangbah Shnong to exercise their powers in authenticating birth/death certificates, residential certificates and other day to day disposal," he said.
Besides the duties, the rules have also defined the qualifications and term of office of the Rangbah Shnong, executive members and the Dorbar Shnong (village council).
Meanwhile, the opposition MDC members who supported the approval of the rules have also demanded the Council to pass a resolution opposing the state goverment ordinance.
Former CEM Adelbert Nongrum suggested that the Village Administration Bill passed by the Council earlier and pending for the Governor's assent, be called back.
