Shillong, Mar 1: The Meghalaya government has introduced sweeping changes to the electoral framework of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 and reducing the nomination filing window from three weeks to one.
The amendments revise the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951, aligning the council’s election process more closely with mainstream electoral norms in India. The shortened nomination period is among the most significant changes, streamlining the process but limiting the time available for prospective candidates to enter the fray.
Nomination requirements have also been relaxed. Candidates will now need only one proposer to file their papers, replacing the earlier requirement of two.
Additionally, the longstanding practice of listing candidates in alphabetical order on the ballot has been discontinued. The new system follows guidelines of the Election Commission of India under the Representation of the People Act and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order. Recognised national and state parties will now appear first on the ballot, followed by registered political parties, with independent candidates listed at the end.
The GHADC operates under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which grants a degree of self-governance to tribal communities in the Northeast. Officials describe the overhaul as a long-pending administrative reform aimed at modernising and standardising the council’s electoral system.
