The court ruling was the result of a petition filed by the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, a non-governmental organisation, after a Khasi chief refused to provide information on revenue collection.
The NGO first filed an RTI application before the syiem (chief in Khasi) of Mylliem, a cluster of villages, in January for information on the status of revenue collection in the past five years. Latho Manik Syiem, the syiem, refused to respond to the application, saying his office did not fall under the purview of the RTI Act.
This compelled the NGO to approach the first appellate authority, Riful S. Wanniang of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.
Wanniang in an order under the RTI Act asked the syiem to provide the information sought by the NGO.
However, as the matter procrastinated, the federation sought the help of chief information commissioner G.P. Wahlang.
Wahlang, in his order on June 15, said the ADCs and all traditional chiefs of Meghalaya would fall under the purview of the RTI Act.
The syiem, however, filed a writ petition before the Shillong bench of Gauhati High Court in July challenging the order of the chief information commissioner.
The judge, Justice T. Vaiphei, today dismissed the syiem’s petition saying he, too, falls under the purview of the RTI Act and hence should furnish the information sought by the federation.
KHADC chief
Congress legislator Pynshngain N. Syiem was today elected the new chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
Syiem replaced Congress leader Mansturdy Nongrem, who had resigned on “health grounds”. The move to elect Syiem, first-time Congress MLA and member of district council from Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills, as the new chief of the autonomous district council, is apparently to satisfy the supporters of the legislator.
Syiem was a parliamentary secretary in the Mukul Sangma-led Meghalaya United Alliance government.
Sangma did not want to upset Syiem or his supporters and wanted to ensure stability of the MUA government in the remaining years of its tenure.
At a meeting of all Congress members of district councils at Congress Bhawan here, Nongrem’s resignation on “personal grounds” was accepted in the presence of the chief minister and state PCC president Friday Lyngdoh.
Syiem this evening said Nongrem had resigned on “health grounds” and there was nothing political behind the change of guard.
Sangma said the names of all other executive members, who would be in the new executive council, would be finalised soon. Congress sources, however, said Syiem’s elevation as the new chief executive member had something to do with the stability of the Congress-led government.
“There are signs of instability in the Sangma cabinet, and to thwart any major political upheaval, Syiem was made CEM,” a Congress leader said.
Sources said prior to the parliamentary party meeting, a Congress minister defended Nongrem and pleaded to allow him to continue. However, the majority was not in favour of Nongrem's continuation.
The Congress is leading the Khasi Hills United Democratic Alliance (KHUDA) coalition in the KHADC with the support of HSPDP, NCP and Independent members of district councils.
With Syiem's election, the autonomous district council got its third CEM in a just about a year and half, ever since the 30-member house was reconstituted in February 2009.
Celestine Lyngdoh was the first chief executive member of KHADC. Nongrem replaced Lyngdoh in June 2009.