SHILLONG: The newly appointed Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Winston Tony Lyngdoh, has initiated a major internal shake-up, announcing an inquiry and the immediate withdrawal of allegedly “illegal” Professional Tax notifications issued to small traders and shop owners.
The move marks one of the first decisive actions of the new Executive Committee (EC), which also strongly opposed the Central Government’s decision to relax Uranium mining norms in areas under the Sixth Schedule.
Tax Row: Officers Face Show-Cause Notices
In a significant development, Lyngdoh revealed that the Council has issued Show-Cause Notices to officials responsible for signing off on the controversial tax notifications. The officers concerned have been given seven days to explain their actions.
According to the CEM, the disputed notifications—distributed by Superintendents and Inspectors—were issued on September 29 and 30, during a leadership vacuum that followed the resignation of former CEM Shemborlang Rynjah.
“We want to know which officers issued these notifications without approval from the Secretary, senior officials, or Executive Members,” Lyngdoh said, adding that the timing indicated a clear case of “exploitation” during the Council’s transitional phase.
All the issued Professional Tax notifications have now been declared null and void and will be withdrawn immediately, he confirmed.
Lyngdoh clarified that the Professional Tax itself is not new, having been in force since 2012, when the State Government authorized District Councils to collect it. He reaffirmed the existing tax slabs—exempting individuals earning below ₹50,000 annually, while levying ₹200 to ₹750 and above for higher income brackets. “No new changes or increases have been made by the new EC,” he added.
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KHADC Opposes Relaxation of Uranium Mining Norms
Meanwhile, the Council has also registered its strong protest against a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Office Memorandum dated September 8, 2025, which waives public hearings for Uranium mining projects across the country.
The CEM said the EC has formally written to the MoEFCC Secretary, urging the Centre to exempt all Sixth Schedule areas from the memorandum’s provisions.
“The KHADC cannot remain silent on an issue that threatens our land, people, and traditional systems. We must safeguard the Ri Raid and Ri Kynti lands, as well as the health and cultural rights of our communities,” Lyngdoh asserted.
