Shillong: The Meghalaya BJP stepped into a land rights dispute Sunday. Party vice president and Tura MDC Bernard N. Marak declared that Nokmas hold final authority over Akhing lands. Administrative agencies cannot ignore this power. Any employer or labourer bypassing the traditional institution now faces a 10,000 rupee fine.
Marak backed a unanimous decision from Garo Hills Nokmas. Labourers must secure a No Objection Certificate before entering or working on these lands. This protects indigenous constitutional rights under the Sixth Schedule. Marak noted reports of unauthorized labourers entering areas like Tura.
He warned that current systems undermining Nokma control weaken tribal safeguards. Marak said, "The Nokma is the traditional custodian of Akhing lands." The institution predates modern laws and keeps constitutional status.
Employers hold the primary burden. They must ensure workers have certificates. Applications are available via an online portal. Nokma Committees will now monitor Garo Hills for violators. Marak dismissed state Labour department licences as mere statutory documents. They cannot replace the consent of a traditional authority. Furthermore, Development Committees under the State Societies Registration Act lack the standing to issue land permits. They must follow customary law.
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