Fate of Nongkrem seat lies on court verdict 

Shillong, Feb 8: With campaigning for the March three assembly polls yet to gain momentum in Meghalaya, the spotlight has now shifted to Nongkrem assembly seat as its fate lies on the verdict of court case against Congress candidate and Union Tribal Affairs minister P R Kyndiah's son Waibhah Kyndiah. 

An NGO has lodged a complaint with the District Council and the East Khasi Hills District Magistrate alleging that Waibhah Kyndiah had ceased to be a Khasi and a Scheduled Tribe as he had taken the surname of his father and not his mother in accordance with the norms of the matrilineal society. 

Nongkrem seat is reserved for ST candidates. 

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) had recently passed an order saying that Waibhah ceased to be a Khasi according to Section 10 of the KHADC (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act 1997. 

However, the District Magistrate B Dhar said that the court is the ultimate authority to decide whether Waibhah is a Khasi, and thereby an ST. 

"The court will decide on February 22 as to whether Waibhah Kyndiah is a Khasi or not. Even if Kyndiah wins, if the court verdict goes against him, he will have to vacate the seat," Dhar said. 

The Chief Executive Member (CEM) of KHADC and senior Congress leader H S Shylla was removed from his post on Tuesday last after the council passed the order against Waibhah. 

Shylla had opposed giving the Congress ticket for Nongkrem seat to Waibhah and alleged that P R Kyndiah. was responsible for his removal from the CEM post.