Garo Hills gets a separate ST electoral roll for GHADC elections as Meghalaya notifies amendments restricting voting and candidacy to Scheduled Tribes
Shillong: A long-standing demand for a separate electoral roll for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has now become law, following amendments to the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951.
The Meghalaya Government notified the GHADC (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 in the state Gazette on September 30 after Governor C.H. Vijayashankar gave his assent to the amendments. The changes provide for a separate electoral roll for GHADC elections and make Scheduled Tribe status a qualification for both voters and candidates.
Under the amended Rule 8, only members of Scheduled Tribes specified for Meghalaya can contest GHADC elections. Rule 128 introduces the ST eligibility requirement for voters and also lowers the voting age for Council elections from 21 to 18. Rule 129 provides for a separate electoral roll for each GHADC constituency, to be prepared by the Returning Officer instead of using the electoral roll prepared for Assembly elections.
The reform follows years of demands from civil society organisations and other groups in Garo Hills for an electoral system specifically designed for the Sixth Schedule institution. The GHADC had constituted a committee in May 2025 to review the election rules and provisions relating to a separate electoral roll.
The Council subsequently passed amendments to Rules 128 and 129 on August 10, paving the way for the separate roll. The move was described by supporters as fulfilling a long-standing demand and an electoral commitment of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
The changes also follow a Meghalaya High Court ruling in March 2026, which held that an earlier executive notification making an ST certificate mandatory for GHADC candidates could not impose such a qualification without the required rule-making process.
The next major task is the preparation of the new constituency-wise electoral rolls. The GHADC elections, originally scheduled for April, were postponed following unrest in the Garo Hills, and the Council’s term has been extended until October 18.
The amended rules have now come into force across the Garo Hills Autonomous District, with the preparation and publication of the new electoral roll expected to determine the timeline for the next Council elections.
Also Read: “The Wild Opens Again”: Kaziranga Reopens for 2026-27 Tourism Season
