Garo Hills Autonomous District Council | 12 Mar 2026

Source: TH

The elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) in Meghalaya have been postponed following unrest linked to a February 2026 GHADC notification mandating that all candidates must possess a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate to contest elections.

Opposition from Non-Tribal Communities: Non-tribal residents of the plains belt, largely Muslim communities, opposed the rule as unconstitutional and exclusionary, arguing it restricts democratic participation and political rights in five Muslim-dominated GHADC constituencies, and contend that only Parliament can amend provisions under the Sixth Schedule.
ADCs in Meghalaya: In Meghalaya, there are three ADCs, viz., Garo Hills ADC, Khasi Hills ADC and Jaintia Hills ADC.
- Each ADC has 30 members, 29 of whom are elected by the people, and one member each is nominated and holds office at the pleasure of the Governor.
Coordination: The District Council Affairs Department of the State Government acts as the coordinating department between the District Councils and other Government Departments of the State Government.

Autonomous District Councils

Administrative Structure: Sixth Schedule areas ( tribal areas in the four northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram) are organised into Autonomous Districts and Autonomous Regions, each governed by District Councils and Regional Councils. The Governor can create, alter, or reorganise these units.
Composition and Tenure: An Autonomous District Council (ADC) can have up to 30 members (26 elected and 4 nominated by the Governor) with a five-year tenure for elected members. The Bodoland Territorial Council is an exception with 46 members.
Legislative Powers: Councils can make laws on land, forests (excluding reserved forests), inheritance, marriage, social customs, and regulation of moneylending and trade by non-tribals, subject to the Governor’s assent.
Applicability of Laws: Central and State laws do not automatically apply to Sixth Schedule areas. Their applicability depends on Governor’s notification or Presidential notification, depending on the state.