Meghalaya

As beer bottles, chip packets, plastic wrappers, cans, and other non-biodegradable waste increasingly mar the once-pristine landscapes of Meghalaya’s Sohra, the area’s traditional governing body has imposed a ban on picnicking, open cooking, and impromptu outdoor feasts by tourists. The measure is aimed at safeguarding the region's fragile ecology and preserving the natural beauty of the Mawkdok-Sohra stretch and other ecologically sensitive areas under its jurisdiction, officials said. Maremdor Syiem, the deputy chief of Ka Hima Sohra, the traditional governing body of the area, said unchecked picnic parties — both local and out-of-state — have led to widespread environmental degradation, particularly along the scenic Mawkdok-Sohra Road and nearby tourist locations.

With growing concerns over possible influx of illegal settlers evicted from Assam, an MP from Meghalaya on Friday urged the Union home ministry to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state, a long-pending demand that has been consistently voiced by the people over the years. During a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Voice of the People Party MP Ricky Syngkon expressed deep concern over the demographic pressures facing the state, citing increasing incidents of unauthorised settlements and encroachments, particularly in sensitive border and fringe areas, including along the international boundary with Bangladesh and those along the interstate boundary with Assam. "The unchecked influx of migrants poses a grave threat to the cultural identity, land rights, an...

South West Garo Hills organizations, including the Civil Society A'chik Welfare Organization, A'chik Progressive Approach, and AAYF, have raised concerns over the alleged illegal settlement of Bangladeshi nationals in various areas, including Isaguri, Mirjumla, Mahendraganj, and Kalaichar. They are urging the Deputy Commissioner to take action and ensure the protection of state-owned land, as the settlement could pose future difficulties for locals.

In a notable initiative aimed at alleviating congestion in the commercial center of Police Bazar, a total of 282 vendors have been relocated to the newly-built stalls at the MUDA parking lot following an extensive process that lasted approximately two years. Describing this as a momentous occasion, MDA Spokesperson and Tourism Minister, Paul Lyngdoh, remarked that the entire undertaking has spanned nearly two years, culminating in a thorough survey that encompassed around 1,400 street vendors. He stated that the government prioritized Khyndai Lad, recognizing it as the most bustling commercial district in Shillong. The government identified 407 vendors who were eligible to receive the certificate of vending (CoV), establishing specific criteria for obtaining the CoV. One criterio...

Gearing up for the season ahead, the Meghalaya Cricket Association has shortlisted a pool of 32 senior men's team players for the 2025-26 BCCI domestic cricket season.  The senior men's selection committee compiled the list after considering the players' performances in recent selection trial matches, as well as their achievements during the 2024-25 and 2023-24 seasons. The Meghalaya team will be supplemented by three guest professional players. The selectors also made a standby selection of Bipin Kumar Ray in case Adarsh Joshi does not receive clearance from the BCCI for his bowling action. The MCA will conduct the final selection-cum-preparatory camps in the first week of September, and the shortlisted players have been advised to diligently carry on with their training and prac...

A construction worker has been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for attempting to molest and rape a woman in Meghalaya's South West Garo Hills district. The Mahendraganj Police Station received a written complaint on April 14, 2015, alleging that Muslim Miah, who was working on construction at the complainant's residence, had followed the victim, held her hand and attempted to molest and rape her. Following the complaint, police immediately registered the case and launched an investigation under section 8 of the POCSO Act, 2012. The case was then transferred to WPSI Bernadeth K Sangma for thorough investigation, with the chargesheet submitted on April 29, 2015. After completion of the trial proceedings, the Special Judge (POCSO) Court in South West Garo Hills found Musl...

The Urban Affairs Department of the Meghalaya government on Thursday said street vendors were successfully relocated from the congested Khyndailad area in Shillong to a notified vending zone in a nearby complex. The move comes in response to directives from the High Court of Meghalaya, which had instructed the state government to clearly demarcate vending zones and ensure that illegal encroachments are curbed through legal action. The court’s order was aimed at addressing the twin issues of unregulated street vending and traffic congestion in central Shillong. Officials said the initiative was marked by the participation of street vendors, who worked closely with the street vendor associations, Shillong Municipal Board, and the district administration to ensure a smooth and timely tran...

The Meghalaya High Court has issued a notice to the Advocate General following a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging certain provisions of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997. The PIL contests the restrictions on issuing Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates to individuals who choose to use their father's or husband's surname. The Khasi community traditionally follows a matrilineal system, where lineage and inheritance are traced through the mother. The group argues that the current law discriminates against individuals seeking to identify with paternal surnames, despite meeting tribal bloodline and lineage criteria. The court has stated that affidavits are not necessary at this stage but may be required later if necessary. The matter is now...

The government of Meghalaya has called upon citizens to link their Aadhaar numbers in order to receive benefits from central government schemes, referencing the Centre's requirement for nearly all its programs. C&RD Minister Abu Taher Mondal indicated that if even one individual's Aadhaar is not linked in a village with 100 job card holders, the entire village will be ineligible for benefits. The state government has instructed the Board of Directors (BDOs) to look into this issue as a temporary solution. The High Court of Meghalaya has noted that Aadhaar cards cannot serve as the exclusive form of identification for accessing government benefits, and has issued a temporary order mandating the administration to accept alternative forms of identification from those who are unable or ch...

After nearly a decade of legal uncertainty, the High Court of Meghalaya has finally brought closure to a long-standing land compensation dispute. In a significant ruling delivered on July 23, 2025, a division bench headed by Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh directed the state government to release land compensation funds that had been withheld for several years. The case dates back to 2016 and originated from a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning alleged irregularities in compensation awarded for land acquisition. The matter became controversial after the Supreme Court, in a 2017 order, expressed serious concern about the high rate of compensation — ₹115 per square foot — which was significantly higher than the rate at which the land was originally purchased. The...