Shillong, Aug 5,: The Regional Council Demand Committee (RCDC), representing the Other Scheduled Tribes (OSTs)—specifically the Hajong, Koch, Boro-Kachari, Rabha, and Mann communities residing in the plain-belt areas—has submitted a memorandum and detailed constitutional explanatory note to the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). The submission requests an official appointment to discuss the establishment of a Regional Council under Paragraph 1(2) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Addressing the concerns of the majority Garo community and civil society groups, the RCDC emphasised that the proposal does not seek a separate autonomous district, territorial division, or any dilution of the representative status of the GHADC.
Protection of Garo Institutions: The Nokma institution, Akhing land system, Garo customary laws, and traditional social institutions will remain completely untouched and protected.
GHADC rights intact: The GHADC will remain the primary apex autonomous body of Garo Hills; its constitutional status, authority, and political representation will not be diminished.
Territorial Integrity: The demand does not involve splitting Garo Hills or removing any territory from the GHADC. The proposed body is designed as a complementary institution to operate strictly within the GHADC’s umbrella.
Why the RCDC is Seeking a Regional Council
The RCDC clarified that while all Scheduled Tribes enjoy equal electoral rights and public employment within GHADC, plain-belt areas present distinct geographical, administrative, and customary governance needs:
Administrative systems: Plain-belt communities function under a Mouza/patta land system and Gaonbura setup, whereas hill regions operate through community-based Akhing lands and Nokmas.
Constitutional Provision: Paragraph 1(2) of the Sixth Schedule was specifically designed by the framers of the Constitution to allow administrative flexibility where different Scheduled Tribes inhabit distinct areas within a single district.
Historical Precedent: The committee cited historical examples such as the Pawi-Lakher Regional Council created in 1951, which was established specifically to accommodate regional variations without overriding overall district leadership.
The Governor of Meghalaya has previously noted the demand as genuine and recommended favourable consideration. The RCDC has urged the GHADC Executive Committee to review the proposal in the spirit of constitutional accommodation and tribal solidarity.
