Meghalaya

The High Court of Meghalaya has accepted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the participation of non-tribals in the elections for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). The PIL was initiated by Niksrang Ch Marak, with the hearing set for March 9 after the respondents requested more time. This legal action arrives against the backdrop of a GHADC notification issued on February 17, which mandates that all candidates vying for council seats on April 10 must produce a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate from the Meghalaya government. Defenders of the notification, including various Garo tribal organisations, argue it is essential for preserving indigenous identity. Conversely, non-tribal leaders criticize it as unconstitutional and an infringement on democrati...

Adelbert Nongrum, the MLA from North Shillong, has protested against new guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which require the full six-stanza version of "Vande Mataram" to be played at all government and school events. Previously, only the first two stanzas were performed. The directive, issued on February 6, designates the entire six-stanza composition as the "official version" and suggests a duration of 3 minutes and 10 seconds for its performance. Nongrum has urged the Meghalaya government to contest these instructions, emphasizing his support for the first two stanzas adopted as the national song in 1950. He pointed out that the Constitution of India does not stipulate a national song and warned that enforcing the full version may violate Article 25, which safeguards religi...

No candidate from Meghalaya has cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) for the 2025 exam cycle, the results of which were declared on Friday. According to available information, candidates from the state who appeared for the examination could not make it past the Mains stage, the second phase of the highly competitive examination conducted annually for recruitment to the country's top administrative services. The last locals from Meghalaya to clear the examination were Isawanda Laloo and Daribha Lyndem in 2012. Swapnil Bhattacharya, who cleared the examination in 2023, remains the most recent candidate from the state to qualify. As per the UPSC, a total of 958 candidates have been recommended for appointment to various central civil services...

The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has issued a notification prohibiting non-tribal persons from purchasing or claiming land in the Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya, invoking its constitutional powers under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, officials said on March 6. However, the council clarified that the status of land already legally held by non-tribal individuals will remain unchanged. The council said the directive has been issued to safeguard, preserve and protect the land, customary rights and traditional ownership of indigenous tribal communities in the region and to prevent the alienation of such lands to non-tribal persons. The Sixth Schedule provides for the administration of certain tribal areas as autonomous entities in four northeastern sta...

A two-day national workshop titled “Re-Imagining Teacher Education: The ITEP Pathway to Professional Excellence” was inaugurated at University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on Friday.The workshop was organised by the PQH School of Education with support from IQAC, USTM, bringing together eminent academicians, policymakers, teacher educators, and researchers to deliberate on innovative pathways for strengthening teacher education in India.The inaugural session commenced with a welcome address by Prof. G.D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM, who highlighted the importance of transforming teacher education in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020 and emphasised the significance of the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in developing competent a...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma distributed appointment letters to nearly 3,000 newly recruited personnel of the Meghalaya Police, calling the recruitment exercise an important step toward strengthening law enforcement and governance in the state. Speaking at a programme held in Tura, the Chief Minister described the event as a historic and memorable moment. He said it was one of the largest recruitment drives carried out by the state government and added that the selection process was conducted in a transparent and merit-based manner. According to Sangma, the recruitment drive saw a huge response from job seekers across Meghalaya. More than 1.7 lakh candidates applied for different posts in the police department. After several stages of selection and verification, close t...

The National People’s Party (NPP) has cleared five more names for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council election scheduled for April 10, 2026. The party’s State Election Committee issued the second list on Friday, confirming candidates for Silkigire, Rongrikimgre, Boldamgre, Raksamgre and Naguapara constituencies. According to the notification signed by NPP state president Prestone Tynsong, the nominees are Jangseng R. Marak (Silkigire), Walbinath Ch Marak (Rongrikimgre), Stevie M. Marak (Boldamgre), Sengko D. Sangma (Raksamgre) and Dormonat Ch Sangma (Naguapara).

The recent assault on North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Registrar Kailash Chandra Biswal by masked miscreants near Mawlai Bypass has triggered widespread condemnation and renewed concerns over the law and order situation in Meghalaya.Leader of the Opposition Mukul M. Sangma expressed deep concern over the incident, stating that such acts of violence threaten public safety and damage the state’s reputation as a peaceful destination. He emphasized that maintaining safety, security, and tranquility is crucial for Meghalaya’s overall development, particularly in sectors like tourism and hospitality.Sangma warned that repeated incidents without strict action can embolden criminals and questioned the government’s effectiveness in ensuring peace. He also highlighted the Meghalaya Residents Sa...

The High Court of Meghalaya on Thursday heard a PIL against the participation of non-tribals in the upcoming GHADC polls. The PIL was filed by Niksrang Ch Marak through his lawyer PT Sangma to bar non-tribals from taking part and contesting the upcoming GHADC polls. On February 17, the executive committee of the GHADC passed a resolution making it mandatory for the candidates to produce ST certificates. The petitioner's lawyer said the respondents from GHADC will apprise the court whether the resolution was approved by the Governor.The matter will be taken up on March 9.

One woman died, and three others were injured after a coal-laden truck skidded off the road and overturned onto two vehicles in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, police said on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday evening along National Highway 6 when the truck, carrying coal, lost control and overturned onto a car and a jeep travelling along the highway. Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Rasgania said the truck was moving from Khliehriat towards Lumshnong when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle at Byndihati village.