The Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) has submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Meghalaya urging the enforcement of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate for candidates contesting the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
The appeal sent through the Central Executive Committee of the GSMC highlights concerns over the protection of constitutional rights, cultural heritage, and political representation of the indigenous tribal communities in the Garo Hills.
In the memorandum, the Garoland body recalled the objectives of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which was designed to safeguard rights, customs, land, and governance systems of the indigenous tribal communities of certain regions in the North-East, including the Garo Hills. The committee emphasized that the Autonomous District Councils were created to enable tribal self-governance, preserve cultural identity, and prevent external interference in local administration.
The GSMC noted that the Executive Committee of the GHADC, during its official sitting held on February 18, 2026, has passed a resolution recommending that possession of a valid Scheduled Tribe (ST) Certificate should be made mandatory for any individual intending to contest elections to the council.
The body said this step is necessary to ensure that the council continues to function in line with the spirit of the Sixth Schedule and that governance reflects the genuine participation of indigenous communities.
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The memorandum also raised concerns over recent instances of participation of individuals who do not belong to the Scheduled Tribe communities. Pointing to past social tensions and unfortunate incidents in the region, the committee stressed that enforcing the ST certificate requirement would strengthen public confidence in the GHADC, protect constitutional mandate, cultural heritage, and socio-economic welfare of the tribal population.
The GSMC has requested the Meghalaya Governor to issue necessary notification or take appropriate constitutional steps to implement the requirement that only individuals possessing a valid ST Certificate should be eligible to contest elections to the GHADC polls.
The memorandum read,“ We firmly believe that such a measure would not only uphold the spirit of the Sixth Schedule but would also contribute to the long-term protection of the cultural heritage, political rights, and socio-economic welfare of the indigenous tribal communities of the Garo Hills.”
