Shillong, Apr 15: The Achik State People’s Front (ASPF) has objected to the appointment of Rakesh A. Sangma as the chairman of the newly constituted high power committee in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
In a notification issued in March 2026, the formation of this committee was outlined, but the ASPF argues that its creation constitutes a significant constitutional impropriety.
One of the core issues raised by the ASPF centres on the use of the alias “Rakesh Newar” alongside Rakesh A. Sangma. The group said this duality introduces serious legal ambiguity regarding the appointee’s ethnic identity. It stated that this is not an administrative issue but rather a fundamental question of legality and the integrity of self-governance under the Sixth Schedule.
The group contends that the appointment appears arbitrary and in violation of the established principles governing decentralized tribal administration. Moreover, they assert that the lack of clear provisions within the Sixth Schedule to support the existence of a high power committee with powers akin to the Chief Executive Member (CEM) could lead to significant governance challenges.
The ASPF has urged the GHADC to declare the appointment invalid for transparency and adherence to constitutional intent in tribal governance.
The role of the high power committee is to help the district council connect with other departments through coordination, particularly to ensure the royalty share of the council from the state is released, among other things.
The chairman is tasked with coordinating with the other two district councils, the KHADC and JHADC, in matters concerning all three autonomous bodies.
