The Meghalaya Cabinet on Monday extended the tenure of the present House of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) by six months, citing prevailing law and order concerns and the ongoing debate over the participation of non-tribal candidates in the council elections. The decision came on a day of dramatic political developments within the council, marked by the resignation of the Chief Executive Member in the morning and the election of a new leader later in the afternoon.
Briefing mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister in charge of District Council Affairs Prestone Tynsong said the extension was the sole agenda before the Cabinet and was taken after detailed deliberations.
“Today we had a cabinet meeting with only one agenda for the cabinet to decide and that agenda is related to the extension of term of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. After deliberations nad discussion all the details the cabinet has decided to extend the terms of the present house of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council for a period of six months with effect from 18 April 2026 upto 18 October 2026,” he said.
The Cabinet decision followed the postponement of the GHADC elections that were scheduled for April 10 amid unrest in the region over the issue of participation of non-tribal candidates in the council polls.
The day also witnessed a change in leadership within the council. Earlier in the morning, then Chief Executive Member Albinush R. Marak stepped down from the post, paving the way for the formation of a new executive committee. Later in the afternoon, MDC from 21–Naguapra Dhormonath Ch. Sangma was elected as the new Chief Executive Member of the GHADC.
Tynsong said the newly constituted Executive Committee would now have the responsibility of addressing the sensitive issue concerning the eligibility of tribal and non-tribal candidates to contest elections to the council.
“Today, in the morning Albinush R. Marak resigns as CEM, GHADC and I am happy to inform you that again in the afternoon MDC from 21–Naguapra, Dhormonath Ch. Sangma, was on Monday elected as the new Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), following the postponement of the GHADC polls scheduled for April 10,” he said.
He said the government would also engage with the new council leadership to find a solution acceptable to all stakeholders.
“So the New Executive Committee is in place again and with the decision taken by the cabinet today to extend the terms of the house for another six months, now we leave it to the wisdom of the new executive committee to take a call on issue of schedule tribe or on the issue of contesting elections both by tribal and non tribal as far as the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council is concern,” he said.
“The New Executive Committee and the new CEM has to take the responsibility side by side even the government will also take the responsibility of calling or inviting for discussion across the table in the level of the government under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and as in the level of the CEM of the GHADC because we would like to ultimately carry along every body and to meet the aspirations of the people,” Tynsong said.
Responding to questions on arrests made following the recent violence in the region, Tynsong described the Cabinet decision as a step towards restoring normalcy in the Garo Hills.
“I think people of Garo Hills should be happy with the decision taken by the cabinet today is a landmark decision. Why Government has to postpone the elections, it is because of the law and order. Why law and order comes in, it’s because of the aspirations of the people? They are against the participation of the non tribals in the house of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council,” he said.
“The decision that we took today, I think all residents of Garo Hills should be happy because within three months time again and with the new EC and CEM they will get the responsibility of flagging of all these concern and within six months time we have time ultimately accomodate or to do necessary ammendment,” he added.
Meghalaya Cabinet Extends GHADC Tenure by Six Months Amid Law and Order Concerns
