SHILLONG, July 22: The Joint Action Committee of Rambrai Jyrngam Constituency has filed filed a PIL in the High Court of Meghalaya on Friday questioning the delay of the state government in conducting the MDC by-elections in 7 constituencies.
It may be reminded that 7 MDC resigned from their post after the state government introduced the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Amendment Bill, 2015 to prevent holding of dualposts.
Addressing newsmen here today, Champion Palier, Advisor of the committee said, “We have taken this decision to file a PIL in the High Court after the state government was unable to give us a proper reason with regards to the delay in conducting the MDC by-elections.”
In this connection he said that the committee had filed an RTI at the District Council Affairs (DCA) department questioning the delay of the government in conduction the MDC by-elections in those unrepresented constituencies till date to which the RTI reply they received stated “The information is not available.”
The inability of the state government to give a proper reason for the delay in conducting the MDC by-elections has prompted Palier to state that the government has taken the issue as a joke.
He added, “This clearly shows that the government does not have a sense of responsibility towards the people of the state.”
Questioning the delay of the state government, he said, “Who will take responsibility when at present we don’t even have our own representative in the District Council who will voice our concern or provide the constituency with MDC scheme or any developmental activities.”
He observed that when it comes to MP or MLA by-polls the government within a month or two would conduct the by-elections however now when it comes to the issue of MDC the government has remained silent despite the fact that more than 9 months have passed since 7 MDC have resigned from their post after the government passed the dual post bill.
“The people of Rambrai constituency as of right now are being deprived of their rights since they are not getting any MDC schemes or developmental projects,” he said adding that it is not just in Rambrai but in the 6 constituency where there are still no MDC.
According to him, he said “The actions of the state government and the District Council have stampeded on the rights of the people by not conducting the by-elections and this is illegal and unconstitutional and it is against the spirit of democracy.”
“The Chief Minister Mukul Sangma just because he is in power he thinks he can do whatever he feels like however we the people can never accept it because the government is not his instead it belongs to the people,” he said.
Defending the MLA form Rambrai constituency Phlastingwell Pangniang for resigning from his post of MDC, he said, the MLA before resigning he had called a meeting with the people of the constituency and later took the decision to resign from the post of MDC.
With regards to the case of KHADC CEM P N Syiem who has yet to resign, he said, “We are still left in the dark in the inability of the state government to take any decision on the CEM who has yet to resign despite holding two posts that as an MDC and MLA.”
