The Meghalaya State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, approved a second six-month extension for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
This moves the next council elections to early next year, as the previous extension expires on October 17. With this decision, the government has exhausted the legal limit of a one-year maximum extension.
MDA Government spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla confirmed that the extension was the sole formal agenda item. He explained that while initial delays stemmed from law-and-order disruptions in the Garo Hills, the current extension is necessary to finalize the constituency delimitation exercise and execute a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
Crucially, the next elections will operate under a newly amended framework following the assent of Governor C.H. Vijayashankar.
The new rules mandate a separate, exclusive ST-only electoral roll that restricts voting and contesting rights to indigenous tribal residents, replacing the traditional reliance on the general Assembly voter lists.
Officials hope to complete all necessary administrative revisions and boundaries within this newly granted six-month window.