Tura, July 6: The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF) on Thursday urged the GHADC to put an end to the continuous violation of paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule under Article 244 (2) and 275 of the Indian Constitution by preparing a separate Electoral Roll for indigenous voters prior to the MDC elections in 2025.
Members of the forum on Thursday met GHADC CEM, Albinush Marak and submitted a memorandum where they pointed out that provisions of the Sixth Schedule under the Indian Constitution have been repeatedly violated by way of allowing non-indigenous or non-tribal voters to participate in the affairs of the Council as well as contest the elections.
“As per the provisions under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, the non-indigenous people like the non-Tribals and the mix blooded Tribals are barred from contesting and participating in the Autonomous District Council (ADC) Elections. The ADC for the indigenous people of Garo Hills is the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) at Tura. So, the non-indigenous people viz, non-Tribals and the mix blooded Garos (i.e. the offshoots out of the wedlock of Garo Women with Non-Garos) should not be allowed to take part in the GHADC elections. The GHADC is meant for the indigenous Garo people (A·chiks) only,” the forum said, in its memorandum.
The forum reminded that as the provisions of the Sixth Schedule are applicable only to the Hill Tribal districts of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, none of the other North Eastern states barring Meghalaya (GHADC) allow non-tribals to participate in the ADC elections.
Pointing out that non-tribals have been participating in GHADC affairs by taking advantage of the non-implementation of the provisions under the Sixth Schedule, the forum urged the immediate preparation of a separate Electoral Roll for Garos.