SHILLONG, July 6: Faced with an uprising from clan elders and traditional heads, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has signaled a tactical retreat on its controversial 2026 Land Amendment Bill. Just hours before a major convention of stakeholders is set to challenge the Council’s authority, the KHADC leadership offered to “revisit” the legislation.
Executive Member in-charge of Land, Powell Sohkhlet, told reporters on Monday that the Council is open to dialogue and public consultations. However, the offer comes with a contradiction: the Council is simultaneously “awaiting the fate” of the Bill, which has already been forwarded to the District Council Affairs (DCA) Department for approval following its passage.
“We are open to revisit the amendment bill and incorporate provisions that are in accordance with the need of the time,” Sohkhlet said.
The Council is currently scrambling to address a major “red flag” in the Bill—the removal of the word “consultation.” Critics argue this allows the KHADC to bypass traditional institutions like the Hima and Raid when deciding land ceilings.
Sohkhlet dismissed these concerns as a “misunderstanding,” claiming that the removal of the word related specifically to the fixation of land ceilings—a process he insisted has seen engagement with traditional bodies since 2021. He further claimed the Council has no intention of diluting the powers of the Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid, or Dorbar Hima.
“There is no intention to weaken or bypass traditional institutions. They will continue to be involved throughout the exercise,” he asserted.
The KHADC has framed the amendment as a pro-poor initiative aimed at creating “land banks” for landless indigenous Khasi families. Sohkhlet argued that this would allow the landless to qualify for housing schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), citing instances where beneficiaries lost assistance because they did not own land.
However, the Council admitted that despite meetings of the Land Advisory Committee, discussions with various Himas and Raids have so far failed to reach a consensus on land ceilings.
The Council’s sudden openness to dialogue appears to be a direct response to the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Kur Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep. The federation of clan elders has warned that the Bill undermines the Sixth Schedule and Khasi customary law. The Synjuk is scheduled to hold a joint convention of clan elders and traditional heads in Shillong on July 7 to deliberate on the threat to customary land administration.
