The role of Autonomous District Councils in the tribal state of Meghalaya
The legal-political discourse at the time of drafting of independent India’s Constitution resulted in a unique constitutional arrangement guaranteeing a model of self-government through setting up Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) for some of India’s designated tribal communities. This constitutional modality governing the tribal majority regions in India’s North-east is known as the Sixth Schedule. Given the pre-existing tribal institutions, it was implied that ADCs were to act as ‘bridges of governance’ between the state and traditional polity. However, the reality of how policies are applied tend to be a double-edged sword.
In her two recent publications LawTransform’s affiliate Kavita Navlani Søreide discusses this topic with a special focus on the tribal state of Meghalaya and highlights the nature of governance and gaps in governance through the lens of ADCs.
Both articles are accessible online:
• (2021) Governance Gaps in Sixth Schedule Mechanisms in Meghalaya, Indian Journal of Public Administration, Sage: New Delhi Volume 66, Issue 4. To read more click here.
• (2020) Representing the (Imagined) Majorities – Local Governance through the Autonomous District Councils: A Case Study of Meghalaya, Perspectives in Development, New Series 65, Occasional Paper ISBN: 978-93-84793-31-9, NMML, New Delhi. To read more click here.