Meghalaya: Revenue officer visits village over Goanbura complaint inquiry

TURA

Following complaints from villagers after a Gaonbura (village headman) was forcefully appointed by the Revenue Office of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), an officer of the same office paid a visit to Askikandi village to inquire into the complaints.

The village has been furious after the Revenue Office appointed one Abdul Latif as Goanbura, allegedly without a public meeting on the matter.

According to locals, the inquiry by the GHADC officials looked at whether there was public consent on the appointment made.

Askikandi villagers have now appealed to the GHADC authorities to restore Abdul Goffur to his role as headman of the village. They further added that they were serious on the matter and would not allow the new headman to function as a representative of the villagers.

“The appointment of Latif is illegal and needs to be scrapped. Council authorities should restore our former headman who until he was illegally shunted out was doing a good job in his role. We will continue our efforts to ensure justice is done in this case,” one of the villagers said.