Guwahati: Independent contenders for Meghalaya’s Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) have come together to launch a new platform, the Garo Hills Independent Candidate Movement Forum (GHICMF), at the Burny Hills Tree House in Tura.
The newly formed forum seeks to strengthen the council’s functioning while preserving the customs and heritage of the A.chik tribal community.
During the inaugural gathering, the candidates unveiled a nine-point agenda focused on safeguarding A.chik lands and promoting the welfare of local residents.
Leaders of the forum said they stepped forward after growing frustrated with ongoing mismanagement and lapses within the council. “The GHADC plays a vital role in upholding the laws, customs, and traditions of the A.chik people. Yet, for 73 years, no ruling group has fully implemented the Garo Customary Law (GCL). This remains a pressing issue for our community,” the candidates stated.
The forum outlined several priorities they intend to address if elected. These include ensuring the GCL is formally passed and legally enforced, introducing a distinct voting system for tribal communities, and updating and verifying the voter list accurately.
They also plan to establish financial regulations to promote transparency in council expenditures, implement service rules for staff, and form a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to oversee financial records.
Other objectives include rolling out digital payment systems for salaries and council transactions, repealing the Transfer of Land and Revenue Act, 1976 (Mouza No. VI) to protect traditional rights, and clearly marking council boundaries to secure district territories.
The forum brings together seven independent candidates: Chusrang R. Sangma (Silkigre), Tengrang A. Momin (Jengjal), Clinton R. Marak (Rongrikkimgre), Jepprin D. Sangma (Raksamgre), Noresh M. Sangma (Wagesik), Sengkan A. Sangma (Raksamgre), and Chesrang Ch. Marak (Asananggre).