Shillong, July 30: As controversies over illegal toll gates continue to grip Meghalaya—particularly under the jurisdictions of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC)—the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has emerged as a standout for its structured and conflict-free management system.
GHADC’s clarity in regulations and its firm legislative framework have kept the region largely insulated from the allegations that trouble other councils. Deputy Chief Executive Member Nikman Ch. Marak credited this to proactive governance.
“We have a separate Act and regulations for the management of tolls, so we don’t have such illegal toll gates in the Garo Hills region. Our system ensures separate regulations for products,” he explained.
Marak noted that market leases in GHADC come with well-defined provisions, leaving little scope—or excuse—for lessees to install unauthorized toll gates.
“When we give market leases, they don’t need to install toll gates when they go to the market. We framed this under Paragraph 6 of the Sixth Schedule, and collections are done as per Paragraph 8, so that no conflict arises within the state,” he said.
The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution grants autonomous powers to tribal councils to legislate on key local matters—including land, markets, and revenue collection. GHADC appears to have leveraged this autonomy with deliberate care, creating a transparent and legally sound ecosystem for toll and market operations.
Marak also urged other councils to view effective governance models as shared resources, regardless of their origin.
“We must always adopt good Acts, just as we have adopted many regulations from elsewhere—including the Sixth Schedule itself, which was a British-era Act adopted by our constitutional framers,” he said. “We have also adopted provisions from Assam and even from KHADC. It is good to adopt and make use of what works, in the interest of the people.”
With rising pressure from transporters and civil society groups over alleged extortion at unauthorized toll gates outside Garo Hills, Marak’s remarks may strengthen calls for wider reforms across Meghalaya’s autonomous district councils.
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