A student notes that despite a long history of grassroot self-rule in…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Policymakers did not wish to interfere with traditional tribal institutions

Option (1) The Bhuria Committee had found tribal councils to be undemocratic — Incorrect. The Bhuria Committee is the report that Tiplut Nongbri commented on, and the Committee in fact showed concern for traditional tribal institutions. It was Nongbri who said tribal institutions need not be democratic, so this cannot explain why the areas were left out.

Option (2) Tribal councils had refused to hold elections under the state law — Incorrect. No refusal by tribal councils is described. The areas stay outside the 73rd Amendment because of a choice made by policymakers.

Option (3) Policymakers did not wish to interfere with traditional tribal institutions — Correct. Meghalaya's tribal groups have had their own political institutions for hundreds of years. The likely reason these areas lie outside the 73rd Amendment is that policymakers did not wish to interfere with those traditional institutions.

Option (4) Tribal populations in these areas were too small to form panchayats — Incorrect. Population size has nothing to do with it. The three major tribal groups of Meghalaya have well-developed institutions at the village, clan and state levels, so the areas are not too small for self-rule.