SHILLONG: The Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Winston Tony Lyngdoh, has clarified the council’s decision to temporarily suspend Paiem Ainam Manik Syiem from his position as the Syiem of Hima Mylliem and subsequently appoint Alban Manik Syiem as the Acting Syiem.
The suspension follows serious allegations that the Hima violated established rules by failing to share market tax revenues with the District Council.
Providing further details on the matter, the Executive Member (EM) in-charge of Elaka, Denzil Raynard Chen, stated that the suspended Syiem violated Section 11 (V) of the Khasi Hills Establishment Management and Control of Market Regulation Act 1979. Under this Act, the Hima failed to pay its mandatory 10 percent share of market collections for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Additionally, the Hima defaulted on the 1/8 share due to the Council as mandated by a 1953 Resolution.
Despite the Council issuing multiple remand notices, reminders, and show-cause notices, the Hima Mylliem administration allegedly ignored them and withheld substantial amounts of money, prompting the Council to initiate a thorough investigation to determine the exact total of the outstanding arrears.
The EM further revealed that between 2018 and 2025, the total revenue collected by Hima Mylliem from market taxes exceeded ₹25 crore, which meant the Council’s rightful 1/8 share amounted to over ₹3 crore.
However, the Hima only paid a meager ₹12 lakh in total as token money, a justification the Council found entirely unacceptable.
According to official KHADC records detailing the 1/8 share from 2018 to 2025, the Council did not receive full financial records for the fiscal year 2018-19, and the Hima only paid a token amount of ₹2 lakh.
In 2019-20, the Hima’s total revenue exceeded ₹5 crore, making the Council’s share over ₹65 lakh, while in 2020-21, the Hima collected over ₹3 crore, placing the Council’s share at more than ₹46 lakh. Despite these figures, the Hima paid a mere token of ₹2 lakh across both years combined.
The discrepancy continued into 2021-22 when the Hima collected over ₹6 crore, which required a ₹78 lakh share payment, but only a ₹3 lakh token was given.
In 2022-23, the Hima earned over ₹3 crore with a due share of over ₹39 lakh, and in 2023-24, its revenue spiked to over ₹4.4 crore, making the Council’s due share over ₹55 lakh, yet only a ₹5 lakh token payment was made. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Hima collected over ₹3 crore, bringing the Council’s share to over ₹39 lakh, which remains completely unpaid to date.
Addressing the Hima Mylliem’s defense that they operate under their own rules framed in 2015, the EM clarified that the Council’s regulations hold supreme authority over the Hima’s 2015 rules.
He further noted that even within the Hima’s 2015 rules, there is no clause exempting Hima Mylliem from paying the 1/8 share.
The Council emphasized that there is no written document granting such an exemption, and this persistent violation forced the Council to temporarily suspend the Syiem to conduct a clean and thorough investigation.
Following these developments, Paiem Alban Federick Syiem officially assumed the throne as the new Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem. Before taking his seat on the royal throne, the Lyngdoh, along with various Myntris (ministers) and clan elders, performed the traditional dressing and crowning ceremony inside the official chamber.
He was then escorted to the judicial court chamber to take his seat on the throne, witnessed by ministers, high-ranking officials, clan members, family, and well-wishers.
Speaking to the media after taking charge, Paiem Alban announced that he would soon constitute the Executive Dorbar to manage the affairs of the Hima and pledged to provide a clean and transparent administration.
Clarifying the allegations regarding the unpaid dues to the District Council, the newly appointed Acting Syiem dismissed rumors that the debt amounted to ₹3,000 crore.
He set the record straight by stating that the actual outstanding balance pending since 2018 is exactly ₹3,24,85,20 (three crore, twenty-four lakh, eighty-five thousand, and twenty rupees).
