Leader of Opposition Mukul M. Sangma has urged the Meghalaya government to issue clear guidelines on whether only candidates possessing Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates will be eligible to contest the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Speaking on the issue, which has triggered debate among political parties ahead of the polls, Sangma said the government must remove any ambiguity to prevent confusion and misinterpretation.
“The government must come up with complete clarity. There is no space for individual opinions,” Sangma said.
He stressed that the absence of a clear official position could lead to speculation and conflicting interpretations during the election process.
Sangma also described the GHADC elections as a crucial democratic exercise linked to the constitutional mandate of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which aims to safeguard the identity, culture and traditional governance systems of tribal communities.
“Election, as far as the GHADC is concerned, we take it as a very important election. These are concerns of every citizen who look at the provision of the Sixth Schedule as one of the most powerful mandates enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.
