Shillong: The Voice of the People Party is fighting back. The party claims the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council voter roll is being watered down. Members of various Scheduled Tribe communities currently populate the list alongside the Garos. This dilutes indigenous political power.
KN Marak serves as the VPP Garo Hills Zone president. He insists the state government failed its promise to create an exclusive roll for the council. The current setup relies on Rule 128, which pulls from a broad pool of tribal and non-tribal voters. Marak argues this practice shatters the integrity of the Sixth Schedule. The Sixth Schedule exists to safeguard tribal autonomy.
The party maintains no grudge against other tribes. They want to preserve the distinct identity of the Garo people. Marak stated, "The present arrangement dilutes the political rights and distinct identity of the indigenous Garo people and goes against the government’s earlier commitment to create a separate GHADC electoral roll."
The VPP demands immediate action. The government must reconsider the current roll and fulfill its original vow. Garo Hills deserves exclusive political safeguards.
Updated at 14th August 2026 at 6:15pm
The VPP’s stance has sparked a backlash from the Trinamool Congress. Rongrong MDC Rinaldo Sangma slammed the rhetoric as divisive and warned against inciting communal friction. Sangma pointed out that Khasi, Jaintia, and other tribal groups have long participated in the GHADC process, just as Garos take part in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council elections. He urged the VPP to drop the exclusionary talk and handle constitutional matters with restraint.
Meanwhile, the National People’s Party is calling the recent changes a victory. Cabinet Minister Marcuise Marak says the council unanimously passed amendments to Rules 128 and 129 on August 10. These reforms officially aim to create a separate electoral roll and drop the voting age from 21 to 18. The proposal is currently awaiting final assent from the Governor.
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