Meghalaya: MDC seeks action against "illegal" appointment of village head in Garo Hills

TURA

Phulbari MLA and MDC of Shyamnagar, SG Esmatur Momin has requested the Revenue Officer of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to examine the case of the appointment of one Abdul Latif as the Gaonbura (Headman) of the village of Askikandi.

The call for an investigation comes in the wake of objections raised by the former Gaonbura, Abdul Goffur as well as a memorandum by the villagers themselves who sought the cancellation of appointment of the new Gaonbura and the reinstatement of the former one.

Earlier Goffur had approached the GHADC seeking cancellation of Latif’s appointment, calling the same illegal. Rallying behind him, villagers of Askikandi met on September 27 and passed a resolution to seek continuation of Goffur as their headman.

The village comes under Phulbari Police Station in West Garo Hills.

“The appointment is an illegal and illegitimate one. He is appointed neither with the knowledge, concern and consent of the villagers nor with the knowledge of the present Gaonbura. Moreover, there is no complaint as such or any allegations against Goffur,” said the villagers in a release.

Calling the appointment call by the authorities of GHADC as abuse of power, the villagers stated that the decision has affected them adversely.

In the meanwhile, another complaint, seeking the cancellation of appointment of Latif as the Gaonbura has again been made by the former headman with a note by the local MDC to review the appointment.

The complaint was submitted on Monday, October 12.