The formal functioning of the United Khasi – Jaintia Hills Autonomous Council, was inaugerated by the Governor of Assam, Mr. Jairamdas Daulatram on June 27, in the year 1952. The United Khasi – Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council was bifurcated, with the creation of the Jaintia Hills District Council vide a notification issued by the Government of Assam on November 23, 1964. Edwingson Bareh who was the Chief Executive Member of the undivided United Khasi – Jaintia Hills District Council in 1963, headed the new Jainti a Hills District Council, the first session of the new council, held on April 8, 1967.

The Golden Jubilee of the Khasi Hills District Council was celebrated on June 27, 2002, during the tenure of P.K. Raswai as Chief Executive Member.

Elections to elect members to the District Council of Shillong, Jowai and Tura were held every five years, on political party basis. However, the election tempos of the District Council were not as high as elections to the State Assambly. The main reason was that the District Council administration could not fully make its impact felt especially in the nooks and corners under its jurisdiction, especially in the rural areas, as people have a closer affinity to the traditional Dorbar of the Syiem, Lyngdoh, Dolloi, Sirdar, Nokma and other units of grass – root institutions including village councils or Dorbar Shnong.

However, the 2009 District Council elections saw an unprecedented upsurge of electorate taking keen interest in the polls in all the three district councils, as recorded in the percentage of polling, which ranged between seventy to eighty per cent. This clearly indicates of a growing awareness among the people in shaking off the lethargy which has stigmatised the councils of non – functionality and ineffectiveness.

The high percentage of polling is therefore a clear message to the District Councils in changing their attitude of distance from the people and that the time has come for the Councils to effectively utilise their powers, as provided under the Sixth Schedule of the Connstitution, in serving the needs and interests of the people. In fact, some of the political parties had clearly mentioned in their election manifestoes that the District Council would work towards protecting the rights, customs and usages, land and forests of the indigineous people and also that the Councils would have a closer relationship with the State Government on one hand, and on the other hand with the traditional administrative grass – roots institutions.

It is therefore imperative, that people had voted for a change. People had also voted for stability which was very much lacking in most of the previous Executive Committees of the Council which are habitually indulging in horse trading and toppling games and the cravings for the seats of power. In this connection the mandate has given a comfortable margin for regional parties in forming the ruling group in the model of the State government, in the Shillong Council, keeping the Congress at bay. A clean sweep was made by the Nationalist Congress Party in the Tura District Council and the Congress however succeeded in maintaining its grip in the Jowai Council.

The most important and the significant change however is the outright rejection of most of the veteran members of the Councils, especially in the Shillong Council where as many as twenty new young faces had emerged victorious. There is also a marked increase of women representatives, as many as three in the Shillong Council.

The overall pattern of voting therefore speaks of itself, in bringing about a rejuvenation in the District Council set up, and a high expectation that the District Council weed away unhealthy practices that are detrimental to progress and welfare of the people at large and that the people get their share, especially of economic benefits and that the social fabric and cultural heritage remain safe in the hands of the District Council.