Shillong, August 11: The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya will meet on the 13th of this month at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall, Mawkhar, Shillong, in unison along with the Chiefs, Elders, men, women, young and old from all levels which includes Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima and including representatives of NGOs, to deliberate and discuss 65 years of the conditional treaty Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement accepted by the Government of India and the twenty five Khasi States on 17 August 1948
At the dawn of Independence, 25 Khasi States signed the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement in Shillong on various dates starting from 15 December 1947 up to 19 March 1948, in presence of Sir Akbar Hydari, Governor of Assam.
After all the Khasi States had signed the conditional treaty, it was sent to Delhi and was accepted and finally signed by Late Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the last Governor General of India, on 17 August 1948.
The Khasi States refused and did not sign any Instrument of Merger as done by all former Indian States.
The Executive, Legislative and Judicial administrative role, functions and powers of the Dorbar Kur, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima need to be codified and incorporated through an amendment within the Constitution of India similar to article 370.
On this third gathering to remember the historic signing and acceptance of the treaty the Syiem will release a very significant and important letter of reference to the treaty – Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of the Federation of Khasi States by the former Prime Minister of free India (late) Jawaharlal Nehru, during the later part of 1947, The official letter was discovered recently after long years of research by the Federation of Khasi States.
The Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Chiefs have been demanding for a separate party less council for the traditional tribal governing institutions of Meghalaya.(SP News)
