Irrespective of the party in power, Meghalaya’s government has either turned adcs into mere advisory bodies, or conveniently withdrawn financial support. adcs have also been used as a political springboard for hopefuls to reach the state assembly. adcs, in turn, have meted out the exact treatment to customary institutions. A comparative look at the Panchayati Raj institutions under the 73rd amendment to the Constitution makes it evident that the entrenched structue aches for an overhaul (see table below: More complicated today). The National Commission reviewing the working of the constitution has presented a consultation paper saying as much (see box: Roadmap).

“The customary governing institutions are still enmeshed in the moral and social fibre of the society. This is specially true of rural Meghalaya where clan-based affiliations are still strong,” says Mawthaw. “Well, the state government and the adcs have stunted their growth, ensured they never develop as institutions. Not an iota of capacity building has been done,” says John Kharshiing. “Besides other factors, the constant haranguing matches between these three