Shillong Jan 25: Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council chief executive member, H.S. Shylla on Friday said that he would hand over the post to the Council’s Chairman, Teiñwell Dkhar if the tenure of the Council is extended in view of the Union Cabinet’s approval to amend the Sixth Schedule and Article 280 of the Constitution.

Shylla told reporters that he had already agreed that he should hand over the post of CEM to Dkhar if the State government would extend the tenure of the Council and postpone the elections.

Dkhar is an MDC from Shella constituency.

Shylla said that though the state government had fixed February 27 to elect new members to the KHADC and JHADC, but he wanted the state government to postpone the elections since the proposed amendments to the Sixth Schedule and Article 280 has already been approved by the Union Cabinet.

Shylla said that it would not take much time for the Centre to pass an Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The Union Cabinet had approved amendments to Article 280 and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. These amendments will significantly improve the financial resources and administrative powers of the ten Autonomous District Councils of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. Funds would come from the Centre under Article 280, and the number of seats would also increase in these Councils. Anti-defection law to prevent defection of members from one party to another will be also in place.

On Friday, Shylla called a meeting of members of the Council to discuss the issue but the views of the members were divided.

Shylla said that there were mixed reactions from the members on the issue.

“There are members who wanted extension of the tenure of the Council so as to ensure that the elections should be conducted only after amending the Sixth Schedule and Article 280 of the Constitution. However there are also members who wanted the elections should go ahead on February 27,” Shylla said.

The elections should be held after amending the Sixth Schedule and Article 280 so that we can enjoy the benefits without waiting for five years after the amendments, Shylla said.

Shylla alleged that the parties that are in power in the state wanted to encourage defection of MDCs by not accepting benefits which are coming soon through amendments to the Sixth Schedule and Article 280.