Shillong, May 13: Laban MDC Ricky Shullai on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma seeking the declaration of November 1 as a state holiday in honour of Rev JJM Nichols-Roy for his historic role in shaping and defending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
In the memorandum, Shullai described Rev JJM Nichols-Roy as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and one of the principal architects and strongest defenders of the Sixth Schedule. Referring to the Constituent Assembly debates held on September 6, 1949, Shullai noted that Nichols-Roy had firmly declared, “Our aspiration is with India,” while advocating autonomy for the hill areas within the Indian Union and opposing proposals to separate them from the country.
The memorandum stated that the Sixth Schedule, which came into force on January 26, 1950, introduced a unique constitutional framework granting legislative and executive powers to tribal areas, while also safeguarding tribal land, customary laws, and traditional institutions. It further noted that the constitutional framework eventually led to the formation of the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council on June 27, 1952. Highlighting the continued relevance of the Sixth Schedule, Shullai said the constitutional model remains significant in Meghalaya’s governance system and is widely studied across the country as an example of asymmetric federalism and tribal self-governance. The memorandum also recalled that since Nichols-Roy’s death on November 1, 1959, the District Council has continued to observe the day in recognition of his contribution.
Shullai further highlighted Nichols-Roy’s association with prominent national leaders, including Gopinath Bordoloi, B. R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel. According to the memorandum, historical records show that Nehru had visited and stayed at Nichols-Roy’s residence “Mountain View” in Qualapaty, Shillong, where discussions on constitutional safeguards for the hill areas reportedly took place. Stressing the modern-day importance of the Sixth Schedule, the memorandum stated that scholars and regions across India continue to study the framework as a mechanism for protecting indigenous identity, land rights, and local self-governance.
Shullai argued that declaring November 1 as a state holiday would formally recognise Nichols-Roy’s constitutional contribution, promote awareness among future generations, and reaffirm Meghalaya’s commitment to tribal autonomy within the Indian Union. He added that such recognition would also encourage educational institutions and public bodies to organise programmes on the Sixth Schedule and indigenous self-governance while preserving the intellectual and constitutional legacy of one of India’s foremost defenders of tribal autonomy.
The memorandum further stated that although the Sixth Schedule emerged from the North-East Frontier (Assam) Tribal and Excluded Areas Sub-Committee under Bordoloi, Nichols-Roy played a decisive intellectual, constitutional, and political role in refining and defending the framework within the Constituent Assembly. It credited him with strongly advocating autonomy within the Indian Union, defending safeguards for tribal land and customary laws, rejecting both unchecked integration and political isolation, and providing the philosophical foundation for Autonomous District Councils as institutions of self-governance.
The memorandum concluded by stating that Nichols-Roy’s contribution transcends political and denominational boundaries and that state recognition would institutionalise respect for the constitutional framework safeguarding the identity, customs, rights, and autonomy of the people of Meghalaya.
