Shillong Sept 26: The Meghalaya government’s constituted committee has decided to oppose the inclusion of the word “unrepresented” tribes in the proposed Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill.

This decision was taken during a meeting of the committee that studies that bill.

The meeting was chaired by district council affairs minister, James K Sangma in the main secretariat in the presence of urban affairs minister, Hamletson Dohling, other officials and chief executive members of the three district councils besides representatives of various groups and traditional heads under the banner of Meghalaya Indigenous Tribal Constitutional Rights Movement (MITCRM).

Various issues concerning the state especially clauses in the bill that may affect the interest of the indigenous people and functioning of the three autonomous district councils (ADCs) were discussed.

After the meeting, Sangma told reporters that number of seats in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) should be increased from 30 to 31 but not as proposed in the amendment bill from 30 to 40 seats.

The increase from 30 to 31 seats in KHADC should comprise of 29 elected, and two nominated members.

Sangma said that all concerns raised by the stakeholders during the meeting have been considerate by the committee and a representation would be complied by the state government and submit the same to the Rajya Sabha’s standing committee which is studying the amendment bill.

Earlier, the amendment bill has proposed that the seats in the KHADC and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council should go up from 30 to 40 seats, of which, four will be nominated members, including two women.

The bill also proposed that the nominated members should comprise of representatives from the ‘unrepresented’ tribes.

For Jaiñtia hills autonomous council, the bill proposed to increase the seats from 30 to 34, of which four are nominated members, including two women.

The meeting also reiterated that the words “village council” and “municipal council” which have been included in the amendment bill should be excluded.

But the state government was earlier assured by the Ministry of Home Affairs that the words “village council” and “municipal council” as indicated in the proposed amendment bill would not apply to district councils in Meghalaya.

Meanwhile the Meghalaya Indigenous Tribal Constitutional Rights Movement (MITCRM) has also decided to submit a separate representation to the Ministry of Home Affairs on issues concerning the interest of indigenous people of Meghalaya and demanded that the term, ‘Traditional Institutions of Self Governance’ should find a place in the Sixth Schedule and should be incorporated into the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule.