By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard N. Marak on Sunday objected to the omission of the word “autonomous” from official receipts and the logo of Meghalaya’s Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), describing the move as a threat to the institution’s constitutional status and identity.
Marak alleged that the issue was not an isolated development but part of a broader trend seen under different Executive Committees over the years. According to him, alternative names such as “Garo Hills District Council” and “Garo District Council” have repeatedly appeared in official records and correspondence.
He questioned whether the repeated use of altered names reflected an attempt to reduce the Council’s independent character and increase its dependence on the state government.
The BJP leader further argued that removing the full official designation was inconsistent with the constitutional status granted to the GHADC under the Sixth Schedule.
He urged the present Executive Committee to take corrective action and reinstate the council’s complete official name in all records and materials.
The remarks come amid continuing political disagreements surrounding the functioning of the GHADC.
Marak and other critics have previously accused successive Executive Committees, particularly those associated with the National People’s Party (NPP), of administrative shortcomings, financial mismanagement and allowing the Council’s autonomous authority to weaken over time.
Recent controversies involving the Council, including demands related to Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates for contesting elections, financial difficulties and concerns over institutional functioning, have added to the debate.
According to critics, changes in official terminology could indicate a broader shift in how the institution is positioned, raising concerns that the Council may gradually be treated as an ordinary administrative body rather than an autonomous tribal institution.
Attention is now focused on how the Executive Committee responds to the issue and whether it moves to restore the original nomenclature or addresses the concerns raised by its critics.