Volume VI Special Issue VI September 2026

Name of Author : Wanteiboklang Hadia, Dr. Ranjit Sil

Title of the paper : Customary Land Rights and Land Acquisition in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya: A Legal and Exploratory Study

Abstract: The Khasi Hills of the State of Meghalaya which is mostly covered by the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution, present a distinctive model of customary land governance where matrilineal inheritance, clan authority, and community ownership coexist with statutory law. Land is regarded not merely as an economic asset but as a collective resource closely linked to identity, culture and social organisation. Traditional institutions such as the Dorbar Shnong village council, Hima Traditional Khasi State and Dorbar Kur clan council, District Council and State Government regulate land allocation, inheritance, and the management of community forests and sacred groves. However, rapid urbanisation, particularly around Shillong city and expansion of the New Shillong Township, has intensified tensions between customary tenure and formal legal frameworks. This study explores how urban development confronts with customary land tenure in the Khasi Hills and argues that urban planning requires harmonising statutory governance with indigenous institutions while safeguarding tribal land rights and cultural heritage.

Keywords : Customary Land Rights, Land Acquisition, Land Governance, Urban Development, Khasi Hills.

DOI :

Page Number : 74-82