Shillong, March 24 Meghalaya Governor C.V. Vijayashankar on Tuesday approved a new legislation by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that bars non-tribals from contesting tribal council elections, officials said.
The GHADC had on Monday approved a key amendment mandating that only members of the Scheduled Tribe can contest the polls, effectively ending the participation of non-tribals after over seven decades.
The elections to the tribal council, originally scheduled for April 10, were postponed following incidents of violence in parts of the Garo Hills region, prompting authorities to review legal and administrative provisions related to the polls.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma welcomed the development and thanked the governor for approving the legislation and the amended rules mandating candidates to possess Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates to contest the council polls.
"I would like to thank the Hon'ble Governor for approving the amended rules, making it mandatory for candidates to have ST certificates to contest the GHADC elections," Sangma said.
He said the move would strengthen the legal framework governing the elections and ensure that the intent of the law is upheld.
"This will remove any ambiguity and ensure that only eligible candidates as per the provisions of the council can contest the elections," the chief minister added.
Officials said the newly approved legislation was aimed at reinforcing existing provisions and safeguarding the rights and representation of indigenous tribal communities in Garo Hills.
The GHADC, constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, is tasked with protecting the customs, traditions, and governance systems of the tribal population in the Garo Hills region.
However, for the past 74 years, non-tribals have been enjoying the rights specifically meant for the tribal Garo community.