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Meghalaya ratifies Constitution Amendment Bill

By Raju Das

SHILLONG, Nov 24 � The Meghalaya Assembly today ratified the Constitution (121st Amendment) Bill, 2014 after it was moved by Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Law, RC Laloo through a Government resolution.

The Bill which has been passed by both Houses of the Parliament needs ratification by the State Assemblies. The Deputy Chief Minister moved a Government resolution for ratification of the Bill and was approved by the House during the ongoing week-long Winter session of the Assembly.

The Bill seeks to give Constitutional status to the National Judicial Commission and lay down procedures for the appointment of Supreme Court judges and transfer and appointment of Chief Justices and other judges of the high courts.

Earlier, during Question Hour, the Deputy Chief Minister informed the House that the Government is in no way trying to degrade the Khasi language and the Meghalaya Board of School Education�s decision to make Khasi as an optional subject in the Higher Secondary level is in compliance with the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework.

Laloo said that by making Khasi as an optional subject, together with seven to eight other subjects, students now have a choice to opt from different subjects as per their career planning and has therefore opened up and broadened their scope at the Higher Secondary level.

Laloo further said necessary steps to incorporate Khasi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution was being taken. The Deputy Chief Minister informed the House that recently he has asked senior officials from the Education department to take up with the Central Board of School Education to include Khasi as a subject in its curriculum.

Langpi incident: Basaiawmoit moved a call attention motion on the 2010 Langpih firing incident. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma in his reply said, after the incident, a one Man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (Rtd) PC Phukan, retired Judge of Gauhati High Court was notified by the Government of Assam on September, 2010.

The Commission has since submitted its report to the Govt. of Assam which has informed that the Report of the Commission into the Police firing at Langpih has been accepted. However, the same is yet to be placed in the Assam Assembly as the finalisation of the Action Taken Report is under process and under active consideration of the Government of Assam.

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