Shillong, April 21: The State government has tasked the All Party Committee (APC) with reviewing the provisions of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020, after it was returned by the Centre.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong stated, “In relation to this, it was returned to us from the Ministry of Home Affairs. It now falls on us to sort this out because the central government has categorically mentioned that this law should not overlap or affect the fundamental rights of Indian citizens, as our state is a transit state.”

He further added, “The government will now sit and examine the matter properly, and I hope that we can come out with an alternative that protects our people while also ensuring their security.”

Tynsong said that the issue is being discussed at various levels and will also be deliberated by the APC. He clarified that the committee was formed not only for political parties but will also gather input from stakeholders and traditional heads to arrive at a well-rounded solution.

Earlier in March, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) warned the state government that it would be forced to protest if the government failed to call a meeting of stakeholders to assess the status of the Bill. The group expressed frustration over the government’s slow progress in addressing the state’s influx concerns.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the HYC president stated, “We were also informed that the state government under your leadership will convene a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the said observations and the way forward.”

HYC General Secretary Roy Kupar Synrem added that on December 13, 2023, the Chief Minister had said the government was seeking legal advice to review the Bill in light of the Union Home Ministry’s comments, and that a meeting with stakeholders would be held “after the New Year.”

“However, it has been nearly 16 months since our meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister, and as of right now, we do not know if any such meeting was ever held with the stakeholders. If it was, we were not informed of it,” Synrem stated.

The APC is expected to take these concerns into account as it begins its review of the Bill.

Read: Time ticking on Meghalaya’s next major quake, experts say

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