Tura, March 23 : In a significant development, the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has passed a historic amendment making it mandatory for candidates to possess a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate to contest Council elections. The decision, described as a long-awaited breakthrough, comes after the issue remained unresolved for over seven decades without any previous Executive Committee initiating such a reform.
Thousands of people gathered outside the National People’s Party (NPP) office in Tura to witness and celebrate the development, which has been widely termed a major step towards safeguarding tribal rights and autonomy.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister and NPP National President Conrad K. Sangma termed the amendment a “historic victory” for the A’chik community. He stated that the GHADC was established to protect tribal interests and that the new rule would ensure governance by indigenous people. He also thanked party leaders, workers, and supporters for their collective efforts in achieving the milestone.
The amendment was passed within 10 days of the Chief Minister’s announcement to postpone the GHADC elections, during which he had assured that the issue would be resolved. The proposal will now be forwarded to the Governor of Meghalaya for final approval.
Sangma expressed appreciation to Chief Executive Member (CEM) Dhormonath Ch. Sangma and all Members of District Council (MDCs) for their unity in passing the amendment.
Urging people to maintain peace and harmony, the Chief Minister appealed to all sections of society to avoid violence and work collectively for the welfare of the state. He also informed that steps would be taken to address the long-standing demand for a separate electoral roll for GHADC.
Cabinet Ministers Marcuise Marak and Timothy D. Shira, Speaker Thomas A. Sangma, along with several MLAs and party leaders, were present at the NPP office to mark the occasion.
