Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar today approved a new legislation of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) barring non-tribals from contesting the tribal council elections.
The GHADC on Monday approved a key amendment mandating that only Scheduled Tribe (ST) members can contest the polls, effectively ending the participation of non-tribals after over seven decades.
“I would like to thank the Hon’ble Governor for approving the amended rules making it mandatory for candidates to have ST certificate to contest in the GHADC elections,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma wote on X. The April 10 elections to the tribal council were earlier postponed following incidents of violence in parts of the Garo Hills region, prompting authorities to review legal and administrative provisions related to the polls.