Shillong: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) is insisting that the state government corrects a notification, which allegedly seeks to dilute the powers of the courts created under the Sixth Schedule.
Speaking to media persons, KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne said the district council is concerned because the notification clearly stated that it will apply to all courts in the state of Meghalaya.
“Therefore, we will meet again on Monday to trash out on this part as we don’t want this notification to dilute or take away the powers of the district council courts,” he said.
On Friday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had maintained that the government’s notification on CrPC and CPC cannot overrule the constitutional provisions which empower the courts created under the Sixth Schedule.
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Sangma had also stated, “If tomorrow there are any complications or confusions that arise in a case which I am pretty sure it will not, in that case the district councils can easily go to court as the para 4 & 5 of the Sixth Schedule clearly defines the powers that the district council courts have.”
“What the Chief Minister said is right that if someone misuses (or misinterprets) the notification that would mean the court will rule out in favour of the district council as the powers conferred to us is based on the constitution provisions. However, despite this (assurance), we still do not want to take the trouble to go to court on this matter. Therefore, we request the government to immediately correct the notification so that it will not affect us in the future,” Chyne also said.
The KHADC is demanding that the government includes words “excluding the courts created under the Sixth Schedule” in the said notification, which was recently approved by the state cabinet.
Meanwhile, the KHADC chief said that the decision on the next course of action will be announced after the meeting on Monday.
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