SHILLONG : The Indian National Congress in Meghalaya has strongly opposed the state government’s decision to extend the tenure of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) by six months, following unrest over the issue of non-tribal participation in council elections.
The party criticized Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for taking a unilateral decision without consulting other political stakeholders, stating that an all-party meeting should have been convened before such a major step.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Deborah Marak said the party had “never endorsed” the extension and described the six-month period as excessive.
According to Marak, elections could have been conducted in 27 out of the 29 constituencies, excluding the disputed seats of Shyamnagar and Balachanda, where tensions persist over non-tribal participation.
She suggested that the government could have temporarily suspended elections in these two constituencies while proceeding with polls in the remaining areas, allowing a newly elected executive committee to resolve the issue through proper mechanisms.
Marak further stated that the Congress supports the demand of the Achik community that non-tribal candidates should not be allowed to contest from Shyamnagar and Balachanda. She expressed disappointment that no all-party consultation was held, which could have helped arrive at a more balanced solution.
On the law-and-order situation, she acknowledged reports of multiple arrests in Garo Hills but said details remained unclear, adding that the government and law enforcement agencies must act transparently.
Calling the recent developments in Garo Hills “unfortunate,” Marak reiterated that elections should be conducted immediately in all constituencies except the two under dispute.
Meanwhile, MPCC secretary Manuel Badwar urged the GHADC to amend its rules to ensure that only tribal candidates can contest elections, in line with the original intent of the Sixth Schedule.
Referring to Jawaharlal Nehru, Badwar said the autonomous district councils were established to safeguard tribal governance and land rights, and these constitutional protections must be upheld.
He also pointed to demographic changes in Shyamnagar and Balachanda, stating that existing constitutional provisions should have been strictly followed. Badwar noted that Tura MP Saleng Sangma had recently met the Governor, who appeared inclined to address the issue.
He emphasized that necessary amendments could be passed by the council with the Governor’s approval and blamed years of inaction on a lack of political will across parties.
Highlighting the need for data-driven decisions, Badwar suggested that census-based analysis could help document demographic changes and guide policy decisions.
“We cannot keep sleeping on this,” he said, stressing that immediate corrective measures must be taken by the government, district council, and the Governor.