Shillong , May 11: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) on 10 May demanded the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to appeal against the recent judgment of the Meghalaya High Court which indicated that the Limitation Act, 1963 is also applicable to the entire Meghalaya including tribal areas.
A delegation of the HYNF central body met the KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem in his office chamber here and requested for his immediate intervention into the matter.
As per the memorandum handed over to Syiem during the meeting, the HYNF stated that the ruling if not legally addressed by way of an appeal will affect the constitutional obligation and jurisdiction of the autonomous district councils (ADCs) of Meghalaya.
The HNYF also said the ruling of the High Court has contended that with the coming into force of the North Eastern State Reorganization Act, 1971, the Sixth Schedule Areas seems to have lost the status of tribal areas but remains only as Schedule areas.
It however pointed out that whereas the notification of then Government of Assam in March 14, 1966 has clearly identified the tribal areas as per paragraph of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India, to which the High Court of Meghalaya has contended that the status of Para 20 of the Sixth Schedule has changed with the coming into force of the NESRA, 1971, hence the changes with regards to the legal status on the application of laws passed by the legislature of the state or parliament in Schedule areas.
Meanwhile, the KHADC CEM has assured the delegation that the Council would take up this matter seriously.
“We will examine the matter properly before taking a decision on whether to file a review petition before the High Court or a special leave petition before the Supreme Court,” Syiem told reporters after the meeting.