Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council passed amendments on Monday, August 10, to block non-tribals from voting or running in future elections. Officials confirmed the council will now maintain a separate electoral roll. This move breaks a seven-decade practice of using state Assembly rolls for council polls.
Rules 128 and 129 now dictate that only members of Scheduled Tribes recognized by the Meghalaya government qualify for the voter list. The Tura-based council, established in 1952 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, expects the change to shift the electorate significantly. Tura MDC Rimpu Marak was absent during the vote.
Chief Executive Member M Dhormonath Ch Sangma framed the update as a move to secure local autonomy. "The amendment marks a significant step in protecting the rights and interests of the tribal people of Garo Hills. With a separate electoral roll, non-tribals will no longer be able to participate in GHADC elections either as voters or candidates," Sangma said.
The decision follows violent clashes in the region earlier this year. Two people died during unrest after authorities attempted to bar non-tribals from council races. That initial attempt led the Meghalaya High Court to scrap the notification and forced the government to postpone elections originally set for April 10. The current amendment follows a March council decision to require Scheduled Tribe status for all candidates.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 9:47am
The move represents a major win for advocates who pushed to decouple the council from state-level rolls to boost indigenous control over local affairs. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma backed the transition, effectively greenlighting the long-standing demand for the council to manage its own voting lists.
While the amendment passed unanimously, the session was not without tension. Earlier in the week, proceedings grew heated when former Deputy CEM Nikman Marak and Executive Committee member Alphonsius Marak nearly came to blows, forcing a temporary shutdown of the assembly.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 2:00pm
Opposition MDC Nikman Marak pushed for the bill to explicitly define 'Indigenous Garo' status to better secure tribal interests, despite the council opting for language tied to the 1950 Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order. Kharkutta MDC Cherak W. Momin added pressure for the council to move quickly on the Garo Customary Law Bill, framing the new electoral rules as a vital precursor to wider legislative reform.
Council Chairman Sengchim N. Sangma confirmed that the bill, officially titled the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Garo Hills Autonomous Districts 2nd Amendment, Rules, 2026, will now be sent to the state Governor for final assent.
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