Meghalaya: Autonomous District Council polls to get separate tribal electoral roll
Shillong, Sep 30 (IANS) Elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) will be conducted using a separate electoral roll for Scheduled Tribe (ST) voters, with non-tribal voters excluded from the council’s electoral list, following Governor C.H. Vijayashankar’s approval of amendments to the election rules, officials said on Wednesday.
The Governor gave his assent to the amendment and the Meghalaya government is now expected to notify the GHADC (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 in the state Gazette.
The notification will give effect to changes in the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951, which govern the functioning and electoral processes of autonomous district councils.
Under the amended provisions, Rule 8 makes Scheduled Tribe status a mandatory qualification for candidates contesting GHADC elections.
Rule 128 lays down ST eligibility for voters, while Rule 129 provides for a separate electoral roll for GHADC elections.
The new arrangement will end the existing practice of using the Assembly electoral roll for elections to the autonomous council.
The amendment process was initiated after the GHADC passed the amendment Bill on August 10, following the Governor’s approval on August 6 for its introduction in the council.
The council had earlier passed an amendment to Rule 8 on March 23. The latest changes follow a Meghalaya High Court judgment that struck down an earlier executive notification issued by the GHADC seeking to make possession of an ST certificate mandatory for candidates.
The court held that such a requirement had to be introduced through the prescribed rule-making mechanism rather than through an executive notification.
Following the legal setback, the GHADC constituted a committee in May 2025 to examine the election provisions and the feasibility of preparing a separate electoral roll for the council.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has reiterated the state government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of indigenous communities and ensuring that governance and policymaking remain accountable to the communities they are intended to serve.
The development comes amid uncertainty over the schedule for the next GHADC elections.
The tenure of the existing council has been extended until October 18 after elections scheduled for April 2026 were postponed following unrest in parts of Garo Hills.
Officials said preparation and finalisation of the new separate electoral roll will now be a crucial step in determining the timeline for the next GHADC polls.
–IANS
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