The paper is an effort to understand the implementation and efficacy of post-colonial forest policy in the Khasi hills district of Meghalaya in North East India. It attempts to critically analyse the role of District Council, State Forest Department and community ownership in administration and preservation of forests in the region under study. It endeavours to explore if the indigenous forest rights and traditional tribal forest based institutions of the territory are actually preserved after the application of community control over forests and natural resources of the district. The paper tries to find out the aspects demonstrating gaps between theory and practice in various aspects of forest administration, legislations and implementation in the region. It also questions the eco-friendly character of such policies over forests, people and land of the district where fauna and flora have shown diminishing trends in the recent years.