Meghalaya

On Wednesday, CVD Diengdoh, the Commissioner and Secretary of the District Council Affairs Department in Meghalaya, announced that the State Government is closely monitoring the law-and-order situation in West Garo Hills. This comes amidst the ongoing nomination process for council elections in other Garo Hills districts, even as security measures intensify due to recent violence. To ensure safety ahead of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Elections scheduled for April 10, 2026, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed, and the Army has conducted a flag march in the area to maintain order and restore public confidence. The region has experienced unrest following the reported deaths of two civilians in clashes that started Monday and persisted into Tuesday. Despite th...

The Meghalaya High Court annulled the notification from the Executive Committee of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), issued on February 17, which required candidates in the upcoming GHADC elections to provide a Scheduled Tribe certificate. This ruling allows non-tribal candidates to participate in the polls scheduled for April 10. Justice Hamarsan Thangkhiew stated that the amendment rules concerning this issue should have been sanctioned by the GHADC Executive Committee, approved by the Members of the District Council (MDCs), and assented by the Governor. The court highlighted that the notification was improperly issued without council approval. The ruling comes amid heightened tension in Garo Hills, sparked by protests from non-tribals against the initial requirement, ...

The administration of Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district has requested the Indian Army to conduct a flag march in sensitive areas following unrest linked to the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). West Garo Hills District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal made the request on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Commanding Officer of the 101 Area, Eastern Command. The move comes after communal tension and public unrest were reported in several plain-belt villages of the district during the ongoing GHADC election process. In the letter, the district magistrate stated that the administration was seeking the army’s assistance in carrying out a flag march in the affected areas due to the tense law and order situation. He said the situation had become sens...

Two people were killed on Monday night after violence erupted in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya over a controversial notification that barred non-tribal candidates from contesting the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), scheduled for April 10. Reports said the violence broke out in the Chibinang area after dusk and continued late into the night. Clashes occurred between tribal and non-tribal groups, while several shops were vandalized and some were set on fire. Police had to open fire in an attempt to bring the situation under control. However, it remains unclear how the two individuals lost their lives. Authorities had anticipated possible unrest due to rising tensions in the district. As a precautionary measure, mobile internet service...

A wave of grief and volatile tension has gripped Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region following a tragic incident of police firing that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left several others injured during a period of strict curfew. The violence erupted as long-standing political rivalries and ethnic sensitivities reached a boiling point in the lead-up to the crucial Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections, prompting authorities to scramble for control over a rapidly deteriorating security situation. According to local reports, the unrest began when a large group of protesters defied prohibitory orders to gather near a government establishment, leading to a heated confrontation with security forces who were attempting to enforce a total shutdown in the area. Witnesses claim t...

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Shillong, on Monday inaugurated its annual festival, Fashion Spectrum 2026, with vibrant colours, creativity and comic-inspired elements at its Umsawli campus in Mawpat. This year's theme, "ZAP!", echoed across the campus, symbolising a burst of energy and the creative force that defines life at NIFT. Fashion Spectrum is an annual festival held across NIFT campuses nationwide, bringing together academic excellence and co-curricular engagement. The event serves as a platform for NIFT students and participants from reputed institutions to showcase creativity through cultural, literary, environmental and sporting activities. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, chief guest Bamin Tarang, Director of Human Resource Development & Employ...

South Garo Hills–based social activist Greneth M. Sangma has issued an open letter to Muslim community leaders in Garo Hills, urging them to promote communal harmony and respect the constitutional safeguards governing the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). The letter, dated March 10, was addressed to Rajabala MLA Mizanur Rahman Kazi, former MDC Sofior Rehman, former MLA and MDC Esmatur Mominin, and other community leaders. In the letter, Sangma expressed concern over what he described as growing tensions triggered by debates on social media and legal challenges related to the functioning of the GHADC. Highlighting the constitutional framework, Sangma stated that the GHADC operates under Article 244(2) of the Constitution and the Sixth Schedule, which are designed to protec...

Two persons were killed in police firing early Tuesday as officers dispersed an unlawful assembly during a night‑curfew enforcement, West Garo Hills SP Abraham T Sangma confirmed. The incident followed a clash between tribal and non‑tribal groups amid rising tensions around nominations for the April 10 Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections. “They were residents of Chibinang. There was a clash between tribals and non‑tribals regarding the GHADC elections, and the firing occurred while we were dispersing an unlawful assembly,” Sangma said. “The situation right now is under control,” he added. The district administration has extended curfew to a full‑day clamp across West Garo Hills and ordered additional forces to guard against further escalation.

Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district administration has imposed a night curfew across 37 sensitive villages to curb rising tensions during the nomination phase for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections. The curfew will remain in force from 6 pm to 6 am from March 9 to March 16, coinciding with the nomination period for the elections scheduled on April 10, officials said. District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal issued the order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in areas identified as sensitive. The order prohibits unauthorised processions, unlawful assembly of five or more persons, and the carrying of arms or objects that could be used as weapons, including sticks, rods and stones. The ...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma underscored the government’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, especially in rural and forest regions, during the "Our Magnificent Vision 2032 | Meghalaya" program in Baghmara, South Garo Hills. Highlighting his visits to the area over the past eight years, he reaffirmed his dedication to the district's growth, acknowledging that while not all aspirations have been met, significant developmental efforts have been made. The celebration marked eight years of the MDA government's initiatives aimed at enhanced service delivery and sustainable infrastructure as part of their Vision 2032 roadmap. Sangma provided an overview of key investments and projects in South Garo Hills, detailing funding in sectors such as public health (...