Meghalaya: CM Sangma Backs ADC Expansion, Proposes 40 Seats For KHADC, GHADC; 32 For JHADC.

Shillong; June 2026: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today (Thursday – 04th June) has urged the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure that Meghalaya’s recommendations are incorporated in the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019, which proposes to increase the strength of the 03 Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).

In a memorandum handed to UHM Amit Shah, Sangma said the state government had examined the Bill comprehensively and has finalised its position after extensive consultations with various stakeholders and several meetings with the ADCs.

MEMORANDUM THAT WAS HANDED TO THE UHM SHAH:

• Strengthening Mechanisms to Check Illegal Immigration: Expressed our concerns regarding illegal immigration into the State and urged the GoI to establish an effective mechanism to address the issue. We suggested that measures such as the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) and the Inner Line Permit (ILP), for which the State Assembly has passed resolutions, could serve as viable mechanisms to regulate and check illegal immigration.

• Inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution: Requested the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution to preserve, promote, and recognize the linguistic and cultural identity of our indigenous communities.

• Amendment to the Sixth Schedule: Requested the Government of India to undertake consultations with all concerned states regarding the proposed amendments to the Sixth Schedule, ensuring that any changes strengthen protections and governance mechanisms for tribal communities across the North East and the country.

• Amendments to the FCRA: Raised concerns expressed by various organizations regarding certain amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), particularly provisions that may impact their functioning and assets.

While backing an expansion of the councils, Sangma differed with the Centre’s proposed numbers for two of the three ADCs.

For: the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), the Bill seeks to raise the strength from 30 to 42 members; 36 elected and 06 nominated.

“The view of the Government of Meghalaya is that the Garo Hills Autonomous Territorial Council shall consist of not more than forty members, of whom thirty-six shall be elected on the basis of adult suffrage. The Governor will nominate four members of whom at least two shall be women”, the memorandum stated.

For: the Khasi Hills Autonomous Territorial Council (KHADC), the state agreed with the Bill’s proposal of 40 members; 36 elected and 04 nominated, with at least 02 women among the nominees.

For: the Jaintia Hills Autonomous Territorial Council (JHADC), Sangma proposed a smaller increase than envisaged in the Bill. The Centre has proposed 34 members; 30 elected and 04 nominated.

“The view of the Government of Meghalaya is that for the JHADC the number of seats should be increased to 32 out of which 02 may be nominated of whom at least one will be a woman”, Sangma said. “This view for 32 members for JHADC compared to 40 each for KHADC and GHADC, is on the basis of the relative population and size of the JHADC which is smaller than the KHADC and GHADC”.

Sangma also opposed the Bill’s provision for nominating members from “unrepresented tribes” to the ADCs, arguing that Meghalaya’s tribal diversity makes such a quota unworkable.

“There are 17 major tribes in the State of Meghalaya with some of the tribes like the Kuki tribe also having as many as 37 sub-tribes”, he said.

“With the proposed increase in the number of seats, the ratio of seats to the number of tribes/sub-tribes works against the equitable distribution of nominated seats among these tribes, which will result in inequality of opportunity among them and endanger the fraternity that they share”.

Instead, the state proposed that nominated members be selected from categories including reputed academicians, sportspersons, women administrators, and eminent entrepreneurs or professionals.

Team Maverick.