Shillong: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council is weighing changes to Rule 128. They want to tighten voter eligibility for council elections. This move mimics a recent shift in the Garo Hills. Changes are coming. The council is currently studying the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951.
KHADC Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh confirmed the review process on Monday. The council intends to fix electoral rolls. They want to block non-tribal people from voting or running for seats. However, Lyngdoh insists they will not blindly copy the Garo Hills model. They are evaluating what fits the Khasi Hills best.
An internal committee is running the show. The council’s Law Department is also busy vetting the proposal. They even looped in legal counsel from Delhi for guidance. Work is underway. "The amendment of Rule 128 is the top priority," Lyngdoh said. His team is specifically addressing recommendations sent over by the Governor’s Secretariat and the District Council Affairs Department.
Anti-defection rules are also on the table. The council currently lacks a law to stop MDC party-switching. They are studying whether to adopt principles from the Tenth Schedule to tighten their grip on internal politics. The council operates under the Sixth Schedule, making the legal path complicated.
This push follows major actions by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council earlier this year. On March 23, 2026, the GHADC made Scheduled Tribe certificates a hard requirement for all candidates. Governor C.H. Vijayashankar signed off on that change the next day. By August 10, 2026, the GHADC moved to dump the general Assembly voter list entirely. They replaced it with a restrictive roll limited to Scheduled Tribes recognized by the Meghalaya government.
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