Shillong, October 3: Former Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Chief Executive Member and Jowai South MDC Moonlight Pariat has called for the removal of Paragraph 12A of the Sixth Schedule, arguing that the provision has curtailed the legislative powers and effectiveness of Meghalaya’s three autonomous district councils. Paragraph 12A provides that where a law made by a District Council is repugnant to a law enacted by the Meghalaya Legislature on the same matter, the State law prevails to the extent of the conflict.
“This is my 27th year in District council, I tried to do a lot of things for the people but I am very sorry to say that our hands are tight. This para 12-A of the 6th schedule of the constitution of India have tight hands of all the MDCs of all the three Autonomous District councils in Meghalaya,” the newly inducted BJP member said.
Pariat said efforts to address the issue had continued for years without a final resolution. “In 2018 committee from centre they came, they had taken everything but they are silent since then.”
Explaining his demand, Pariat said the provision effectively places State legislation above laws enacted by the autonomous councils when both deal with the same subject. “I joined today with a mission we will fight togather, we will do away with Paragraph 12 A which says if the Autonomous district council make laws and if the state government happens to make the same laws , which is similar to that, the law of the state government the law of the state legislature prevails. Therefore our hands are tight,” Pariat said.
He also flagged what he described as the absence of schemes for the district councils, saying the situation had undermined the role of elected MDCs. “In 2025 there was MDC election, now it’s going to be two years and we have not recieved a single scheme so far, no scheme given to the people, it’s meaningless to be MDCs, it is meaningless to be a leader then.”
“We fight for the people togather. Otherwise no point contesting district council election. This present constitution gives vehicle with no fuel.”
Pariat said his decision to join the BJP was aimed at creating a platform from which he could take the concerns of the district councils to the party’s central leadership. “Why I joined BJP, i want to be inside the part of the party, therefore I get a chance to appraise the BJP leaders about the problems and difficulties that District council faces. This message reaches leaders in Delhi, We will fight togather do away with Paragraph 12 A . They should remove it.”
Pariat, who contested the 2023 Meghalaya Assembly election as a UDP candidate, said he expected his political position to strengthen after joining the BJP. “I am also strong, UDP was very weak but with BJP I am confident I will be much stronger. We are working hard.”
He said his political outlook was in line with what he described as the BJP’s objective of working for the people. “The ideology of BJP and my ideology are same, we want to save humanity, we want to save people, that’s why people elected members for the six consecutive term. I joined BJP because BJP can help, BJP can delivery and BJP can make wonders.”
Pariat ended by outlining his party’s stated objective for the next Assembly election, saying, “To accomplish 2028 BJP will rule the state.”
Pariat Calls for Scrapping of Paragraph 12A, Says It Has ‘Tightened Hands’ of Meghalaya ADCs
