Shillong (Meghalaya), June 27: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the District Council Affairs Department to file a report on the issuance of Scheduled Tribe certificates to Khasis opting for surnames of their father or mother and to women who choose to adopt the surname of their husbands.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the government’s decision to stop issuing Scheduled Tribe certificates to Khasis.
The court directed that a copy of the report should be circulated to the other parties before the returnable date of the petition. The PIL has been listed for further hearing on July 23.
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997, defines a Khasi and provides for registration and grant of Khasi Tribe certificates. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the government’s decision is arbitrary and contrary to the Act.
The court’s direction is significant as it seeks to clarify the government’s stance on the issuance of Scheduled Tribe certificates to Khasis and its implications for the community. The outcome of the PIL will have far-reaching consequences for the Khasi community in Meghalaya.
