SHILLONG : The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) witnessed heated scenes on Friday after opposition members staged a walkout over the alleged denial of an opportunity to discuss the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council Service Rules, 2026.
Leader of Opposition Titosstarwell Chyne led the protest, accusing the Executive Committee (EC) of stifling debate and denying elected representatives their democratic right to speak on an important matter before the House.
Speaking before walking out, Chyne questioned why the ruling side was unwilling to allow discussion despite having a majority in the Council. He maintained that members should have been allowed to deliberate on Part I of the Service Rules, especially since discussions on the matter had been permitted during the previous sitting.
The opposition leader alleged that the refusal to allow debate reflected fear on the part of the ruling bench and amounted to an abuse of power. He further claimed that denying him the opportunity to speak was a violation of the rights of elected representatives.
However, KHADC Chairman Strongpillar Kharjana strongly defended the decision, stating that the Chair had acted strictly according to the established rules and procedures of the House. He clarified that the proposal placed before the Chair did not comply with procedural requirements and therefore could not be allowed in its existing form.
Kharjana rejected allegations that the Chair had denied Chyne the opportunity to speak and maintained that the decision was based solely on procedural grounds.
Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh also supported the Chairman’s ruling, stating that the matter was governed by the rules of the House and not by any reluctance to engage in debate.
The incident resulted in a walkout by opposition members and highlighted the growing differences between the ruling Executive Committee and the opposition during the ongoing KHADC session.