Meghalaya

BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak has raised questions over alleged "differential treatment" by the State Government in cases linked to the Garo Hills unrest, asking if there is a "nexus" between the Chief Minister and former Phulbari MLA Esmatur Mominin. In a statement, Marak said, "The detention of Garo leaders alongside the release of Muslim leaders raises concerns about impartiality by the State Government." He asked, "Is the State Government favoring Muslim leaders like Mominin and Rehman while unfairly targeting Garo leaders who were defending tribal rights?" Marak alleged that "the Muslim leaders have allegedly incited communal tensions through social media and with the help of outsiders." He further claimed, “Mominin also claimed that he talked to CM before coming to ...

Dismissing rampant speculation of an immediate jump to the BJP or a "homecoming" to the Congress, insiders close to Dr Mukul Sangma say the veteran leader has adopted a tactical "freeze" on his political future, opting to wait until next year to decide which banner he will carry into the next assembly election. The prolonged silence from the state's most formidable challenger comes as a blow to a primary opposition already struggling for momentum. While rumors have long circulated regarding his return to the Congress or a shift to the saffron fold, a more startling theory has recently emerged: a potential alignment with his arch-rivals, the National People's Party (NPP). "He is currently quiet and has not made up his mind. Any major decision will only be taken next year afte...

Meghalaya has emerged as one of the first northeastern states where field operations under Phase I of Census 2027 have officially begun, marking a major step in the Centre’s push towards a fully digital census exercise across the country. The House listing and Housing Census (HLO) operations have commenced in Meghalaya along with Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi area, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The exercise forms part of the wider nationwide Census 2027 process, which is being conducted using digital tools for the first time while continuing the traditional door-to-door survey method. Arunachal Pradesh is also among the states where house-to-house house listing operations by enumerators are currently underway. Officials said e...

Policymakers, financiers and industry leaders will gather in Shillong on June 11-12Conrad Sangma said Meghalaya’s economy has doubled over the past five years He said capital investment in the state has risen fourfold since 2018 Meghalaya will host the North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (NEIINFRA) on June 11 and 12, bringing together policymakers, investors, financial institutions and industry leaders to discuss infrastructure expansion, regional connectivity and investment opportunities across the Northeast. Announcing the summit at an event in Shillong, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the state’s economy has doubled over the past five years, while capital investment has increased fourfold since 2018. Sangma said sustained economic growth over the la...

Data revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for Meghalaya for the year 2024 has raised concerns over the state’s low charge-sheeting and conviction rates despite thousands of cases being registered during the year. According to the NCRB, Meghalaya registered 3,986 IPC/BNS cases and 753 cases under Special and Local Laws (SLL) in 2024. The state recorded a crime rate of 117.7 per lakh population, lower than Assam and several other northeastern states. However, only a small proportion of registered cases resulted in convictions. During 2024, only 466 accused persons were convicted in IPC/BNS and SLL cases combined, while 1,007 accused were acquitted and another 438 discharged. The NCRB data also brought to the fore that Meghalaya’s charge-sheeting rate stood at 30.6 pe...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced that the state is all geared up to host the National Games next year, stressing that the much-anticipated event will be more of a Northeast story with the participation of Meghalaya’s neighbouring states. During a recent CM Connect session held in Shillong, while replying to a query on National Games raised by J.W. Nongrum, headman of Cleve Colony, Sangma informed that Home Minister Amit Shah and Indian Olympic Association Chairperson P.T. Usha had requested the Chief Minister to take other northeastern states on board for the event, making it a “Northeast story.” Emphasizing that Meghalaya will be the host city, Sangma informed that 36 to 38 disciplines will be held in Meghalaya, Manipur will host 2 disciplines while the rest of the Nor...

A World Bank delegation visited Sohra in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district to review key healthcare and adolescent welfare initiatives being implemented under the Meghalaya Health Project and the MPOWER programme. The team visited the Sohra Community Health Centre (CHC), which is being upgraded into a First Referral Unit (FRU) under the state’s Service Delivery Redesign initiative supported by the Meghalaya Health Project. Officials said the CHC has also been activated for IPA/OBB through state-supported Outcome Based Budgeting, aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes at the grassroots level. During the visit, the delegation reviewed the functioning of the facility and assessed efforts to improve referral healthcare services in the region. The W...

Former Phulbari MLA Esmatur Mominin secured bail in all four cases filed by the government against him during the unrest in Garo Hills. The allegation against the accused was that he was spreading communal hatred. Advocate N. Khera and his legal team appeared on behalf of the accused and secured bail. An official source said that Khera succeeded in securing bal for the accused as there was no clarity on the ground of arrest. The advocate was not available for comments. The court found that details regarding his arrest were not communicated to the accused when he was arrested. The intimation of grounds of arrest, though the provisions of law has been recorded under which the accused was booked, the intimation of grounds of arrest is simply a tick mark on a prepared format which read...

Meghalaya on Friday showcased its expanding infrastructure network and rising investment potential during the curtain raiser of the Northeast India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (NEIINFRA) 2026 held at Meghalaya House in New Delhi. The summit, scheduled to be held in Shillong on June 11 and 12, is expected to bring together five Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of all Northeastern states, policymakers, investors, infrastructure developers, financial institutions and industry leaders to deliberate on connectivity, investment and regional growth. Speaking at the curtain raiser event at Meghalaya House in New Delhi, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said Meghalaya’s economy has doubled over the past five years, while capital investment has increased fourfold since 2018.

The state police have deployed an SF-10 platoon and two platoons of Meghalaya Police Battalion (MLP) in Lapangap village in West Jaintia Hills district to protect farmers of the border village from alleged harassment from Assam side. Informing this on Thursday, Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang also said setting up of a police camp in the area is also under consideration following Assam police setting up a camp amid the ongoing tensions. Deployment of the additional forces in Lapangap came in the wake of a mass protest by the villagers in Shillong on Wednesday when they demanded for adequate security for farmers in carrying out their farming activities. The villagers alleged that their crops were being destroyed at night by groups from adjacent Karbi Anglong in Assam. T...