Electoral Participation Of Garo Tribes In Meghalaya-A Study Of 2023 Legislative Assembly Election

Abstract

Meghalaya held a single-phase Legislative Assembly election on February 27, 2023, with 85.2% polling. The Garos are the second largest ethnic groups in Meghalaya, making up 30% of the state's population. Historically, Garos played a significant role in the state electoral politics. In 2023 Legislative Assembly Election, the total no. of votes cast in Garo Hills Assembly Constituency is 698101 out of 1856502. This research article aims to study  factors that contributed to the high electoral participation of Garo tribes in Meghalaya, it also studies the strong sense of community and identity among the Garos, the high level of education among the Garos. Lastly, the Garos have a long history of political activism. There are a number of other factors which include, the level of economic development in the region, the quality of governance, and the level of political awareness among the Garos. This ensures the Garo tribes representation in the state government. The research adopts descriptive and documentary analysis.