Shillong: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Dorbar Shnong (village council) cannot do much to restrict or prohibit Khasi women from marrying non-Khasi men, HADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pyniaid Sing Syiem claimed.
However, the KHADC is planning to introduce provisions in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2022 and the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997 to discourage such marriages.
Also Read: Assam: Minor girl stranded in Arunachal reunited with parents in Biswanath
The KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem said that the council will take steps to ensure that the “unhealthy trend” of mixed marriages is kept in check.
He also said that the KHADC is concerned over the fact that people from outside the state are using Khasi surnames, which violates the provisions of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997.
Also Read: Assam: Man arrested from Cooch Behar for murdering woman in Guwahati
The Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act, 1997, which was passed by the KHADC in March 1997 and received the Governor’s assent in 2005, was recently amended.
The amendments seek to strip a woman who marries a non-Khasi and her offspring of their Khasi and Schedule Tribe status.