SHILLONG: Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar has approved amended rules making Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates compulsory for candidates contesting the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
Confirming the decision, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma thanked the Governor, stating that the approval enforces ST certification as a mandatory eligibility criterion.
The move follows the NPP-led GHADC’s recent amendment to its election rules, marking the first time since the council’s formation in 1952 that only tribal candidates can contest. Sangma termed the step “historic,” noting it fulfils a long-pending demand to safeguard tribal self-governance under the Sixth Schedule.
The amendment closes a long-standing loophole that allowed non-tribals to contest council elections. It also comes amid recent unrest over non-tribal participation and the extension of the GHADC’s tenure by six months ahead of the postponed polls.
