Shillong, Sept 21: Lone Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) legislator, Adelbert Nongrum has demanded from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government to review the Constitution (Schedule Tribe) Order, 1950 for removing other tribes from the ST list of Meghalaya.

“It is high time for the state government to review the presidential order of 1950 and if required, it should also convene a special session,” Nongrum told reporters on Saturday.

He said the state government should recommend to the Centre to immediately amend the Constitution (Schedule Tribe) Order, 1950 in respect to the state of Meghalaya.

The North Shillong MLA is part of the United Progressive Front (UPF), an alliance of seven MLAs who are supporting the ruling NPP-led MDA government.

Nongrum said that the ST list was copied from the state of Assam when Meghalaya got its statehood but the same was never revisited in the last 46 years. According to him, of the 53 tribes recognized as STs in the list, 37 are mainly from the Kuki tribe.

Reminding that Meghalaya is no longer under Assam, the MLA said further delaying in rectifying the anomaly in the list will have a far-reaching consequences on the political, socio and economic interest of the indigenous tribes of the state.

“It is a threat to the future generation of our state. Therefore, Meghalaya should follow the example of Sikkim and Nagaland in amending this presidential order of 1950,” he asserted.

He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its ruling last year, had clearly stated that a person belonging to a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe in one state cannot be deemed to be SC/ST in other states where he migrated for the purpose of employment or education.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong informed that the state government would soon urge the Centre to review the presidential order of 1950.

Meanwhile, the North Shillong MLA also requested the DCA minister to include him as member in the committee constituted by the state government to look into various concerns on the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.