Tura, February 9: The All A·chik Youth Federation (AAYF), Central Executive Board, Tura, has raised strong objections to the participation of non-tribals in voting and contesting the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, asserting that such practices violate the constitutional intent of the Sixth Schedule.
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| The Office of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) headquarters in Tura |
In a press release addressed to editors of newspapers and media houses in Tura and Shillong, the AAYF stated that the Garo Hills region falls under Clause (2) of Article 244 of the Constitution of India as a Sixth Schedule area. The GHADC, established on April 14, 1952, was created exclusively to safeguard the rights, culture, tradition, and identity of the Garo tribal community.
The federation noted that historically, non-tribals have participated in GHADC elections, possibly due to a lack of awareness among early Garo leaders regarding the full scope of protections guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule. However, it stressed that allowing non-tribals to vote or contest in GHADC elections undermines the very purpose of the Sixth Schedule and violates constitutional safeguards meant for tribal communities.
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The AAYF clarified that there is no legal requirement for a separate electoral roll, as Autonomous District Councils are intended solely for tribal people. It urged the District Election Officer and the Returning Officer of Garo Hills to disqualify any non-tribal candidates at the scrutiny stage and to refrain from issuing voter slips to non-tribal voters for GHADC elections.
The organisation also made it clear that it does not oppose non-tribal participation in State Legislative Assembly or Parliamentary elections, which operate under a different constitutional framework.
The AAYF appealed to the media to publish and broadcast the press statement to raise public awareness on the issue and to inform concerned authorities. The statement was issued by Rikkam P. Marak, Vice President of the All A·chik Youth Federation, Central Executive Board, Tura.
