Guwahati: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has issued a new directive preventing non-tribals from owning or claiming land across the five Garo Hills districts, officials said on Friday.
The decision follows a recent order requiring candidates in the MDC elections to submit ST certificates.
Authorities clarified that this restriction will not affect non-tribals who already legally own land in the region.
The council explained that the move aims to safeguard tribal land, customary rights, and traditional ownership, ensuring that indigenous communities retain control over their ancestral territories.
Under the notification released on Thursday, non-tribal individuals are prohibited from acquiring, purchasing, holding, inheriting, leasing, mortgaging, transferring, or asserting any rights over land within the five districts.
It also states that any land transfer or registration favoring a non-tribal will be treated as invalid and will not be recognized by official authorities.
The GHADC has further banned arrangements in which land is registered in the name of a tribal person for the benefit of a non-tribal individual, declaring such transactions void.
Any possession or claim obtained in breach of these rules can be canceled or reclaimed according to legal provisions.
The council stressed that the order does not impact non-tribals who lawfully inherited or acquired land before relevant land transfer regulations were enforced.
Additionally, lands or transactions explicitly approved by the government or other competent authorities remain valid, although any further transfers of these holdings require prior permission.
This latest directive follows a previous notification issued last month, which barred non-indigenous candidates from contesting the GHADC elections scheduled for April 10.
The Executive Committee of the GHADC approved the new order on February 9, 2026, and it was formally published on February 17.
Candidates must now present a valid ST certificate issued by the Meghalaya government when submitting their nomination papers.
Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) have been instructed to verify these certificates during the nomination scrutiny process.
Nominations submitted without a valid certificate will be considered defective and rejected.
The council said these measures are designed to preserve the cultural practices, political identity, and customary laws of the tribal communities under the Sixth Schedule.
By enforcing these rules, non-tribals are effectively barred from standing for council seats, fulfilling a long-standing demand of regional civil society groups.
The notifications have sparked debate in Meghalaya, with tribal organisations welcoming the measures as a necessary step to protect indigenous rights.
Non-tribal leaders, however, have challenged the council’s authority, arguing that amendments to the Sixth Schedule can only be made by the central government.