Meghalaya: A Khasi woman will now marry a non-Khasi at her own peril

26 July 2018:

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has approved a Bill that says a tribal Khasi woman will be stripped of her ST status and all privileges if she marries a non-Khasi.

According to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018, that was notified on Tuesday and passed on Wednesday, the woman’s children will also be viewed as non-Khasis.

The KHADC said: “Any Khasi woman who marries a non-Khasi as well as her offspring(s) born out of such marriage(s) shall be deemed as non-Khasi and lose the Khasi status and all the privileges and benefits as a member of the Khasi tribe who cannot claim preferential privileges under any law.”

It pointed out that the amended Bill would apply even if a Khasi woman marries a man from any other tribe and not just non-tribals.

“The amendment will protect the indigenous people as immigration poses an imminent danger for the minority Khasi community,” the KHADC said. Clauses of the Bill will come into force if it gets the Governor’s nod.