Shillong, Aug 10: The bill passed by the GHADC on Monday (Aug 10) to exclude the participation of non-tribals in council elections in Garo Hills will have to pass another hurdle of getting approval of the Governor.
Earlier on August 6, the introduction of the bill in the House was approved by the governor.
Executive Member of GHADC Cherak Momin said on phone from Tura that the GHADC session concluded with the passing of the bill on Assam & Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) the GHADC (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026.
Four from the Opposition took part in the discussion
The vocal Tura BJP MDC Bernard Marak did not attend the session as he was unwell.
The House amended the district council rules of 128 & 129.
The rule 128 amendment deals with ST criterion to take part in the polls, whereas the rule 129 is for separate electoral roll based on the ST voters.
The text of the amendment below
3. Amendment of rule 128. In rule 128 of the principal rules,
(a) in sub-rule (1), after clause (a), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:
“(aa) a member of a Scheduled Tribe specified in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as amended from time to time, in relation to the State of Meghalaya;”;
(b) in sub-rule (1), in clause (b), for the words “not below the age of twenty-one on the qualifying date”, the words “not below the age of eighteen years on the qualifying date” shall be substituted;
(c) in sub-rule (1), the proviso shall be omitted.
4. Amendment of rule 129. In rule 129 of the principal rules,
(a) for sub-rule (2), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:-
“(2) Subject to the provisions of rule 128, there shall be a separate electoral roll for every constituency comprised within the Garo Hills Autonomous District for the purpose of elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, and such roll shall be prepared, constituency-wise, by the Returning Officer with reference to the qualifications specified in rule 128, and shall thereafter be revised, corrected and finally published in the manner provided by sub-rules (3) and (4); and no person shall be entitled to vote at any such election unless his name is for the time being registered in the electoral roll of the constituency concerned.”.
