SHILLONG, Nov 1 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul M Sangma today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to discuss about approval of two Bills passed by the Autonomous District Councils of Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills.
The Chief Minister apprised the Union Minister about the background of the two Bills, officials said. The two District Councils enacted their own laws, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Village Administration) Bill, 2014 and the Jaintia Autonomous District Council (Establishment of Elaka and Village Election, Appointment, Powers, Functions and Jurisdiction of Dolloi/Sirdar and Waheh Shnong) Bill, 2015, to empower the headmen and chiefs.
Few provisions in the Bills which were found in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution and other Central and State laws were discussed with the concerned District Councils and accordingly modified, Sangma informed the Home Minister.
Then the Bills along with the opinion of the Advocate General were recommended by the State Government to Governor V Shanmuganathan for his assent, the Chief Minister said.
Sangma added that the Governor has referred these Bills to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) seeking their advice on their constitutional validity. However, there has been no direction from MHA so far.
The Chief Minister said that �the perceived delay in the grant of assent to the said Bills has caused a fair amount of apprehension and anxiety among the traditional institutions.�
They have been questioning the intentions of the Government and the association of Headmen has launched an agitation demanding immediate assent of the Governor to the Bills, he told the Home Minister.
Therefore, the Chief Minister sought the personal intervention of Singh so that the two Bills are examined quickly and the views of the MHA are conveyed to Governor of Meghalaya on utmost priority.