Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to table the controversial Khasi Lineage Bill

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council will soon table the Khasi Social Custom of Lineage (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to strip the Schedule Tribe status of Khasi women who marries non-Khasi men and their offspring’s, in its upcoming special session after the Consultative Committee submitted its report to the Council.

The report and recommendations of the 17-member Consulative Committee on the Lineage Act was handed over by its chairman Manstudy Nongrem to the KHADC chief HS Shylla.

Speaking to newsperson, Shylla said, that they have received the report of the committee and the executive committee will accordingly study and examine the report before tabling the amendment Bill in the House in a special session that will be convened by Oct 15 likely for passing the amendment.

Stating that the first (amendment) Bill, which had wrongly inserted the appointment and powers of a Clan elder, has been done away with because the Council has decided to come up with a separate Khasi Clan Bill.

Shylla added that the second (amendment) Bill will be made as the first Bill which seeks to restrict mixed marriage among the Khasi women.

He maintained that the Bill is not a new legislation but is a codification of the customary practices of the Khasi indigenous society and also informed that a tribunal headed by an advocate, with 7 years of experience, would also be set up for addressing any problems related to the Bill.

Asked about the inclusion of the third gender, the KHADC chief said that the idea of a third gender in the Khasi custom does not exist and the Bill is totally based on the Khasi custom and practices.

Meanwhile, the Consulative Committee has submitted a seven-point recommendations which are viewed as of great importance as linkages to the draft amendment Bill.