Tribal Representation and Local Land Governance in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, India.

In India, the historically disadvantaged groups of tribal people categorised as the Schedule Tribes have largely remained on the fringes of growth. There is a constitutional provision the Sixth Schedule applicable in certain areas of tribal territorial majorities in the North East of India that recognises the. The question is how effective these legal mechanisms are in protecting the tribal population against marginalisation. This article presents a case study of the socio-political dynamics of community ownership and control of land in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, a state in North East India where the tribal people are in the majority. This work aims to analyse more closely the operations and efficacy of the Sixth Schedule as a land governance framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]