Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday announced that the state government has decided to postpone the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) scheduled for April 10 in view of the recent violence that claimed two lives in the region.
The chief minister said the decision was taken after reviewing the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills and considering the difficulties currently being faced by residents.
In a video message, Sangma said the government had carefully assessed the situation before arriving at the decision to defer the council polls.
“Dear friends, looking at the current situation in Garo Hills and understanding the difficulties people are facing at the moment, the Government of Meghalaya has decided to postpone the GHADC elections,” he said in the video clip.
“We will sit and we will decide on how to further take this procedure ahead. Until then decision has been made to postpone the elections,” he said.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in parts of the Garo Hills region following violent incidents during the nomination process for the council elections.
Meanwhile, curfew in the West Garo Hills district has been extended for another 48 hours amid the prevailing law-and-order situation.
In an order issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, West Garo Hills District Magistrate Vibhor Agarwal said the curfew will remain in force from 12:00 A.M. on March 11, 2026, until 12:00 A.M. on March 13, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier.
ALSO READ: Curfew extended till March 13 in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills amid GHADC poll unrest
Army columns have been deployed in the West Garo Hills district, amid the rising violence in the region.
Two persons were reportedly killed on Tuesday after security forces in West Garo Hills opened fire to disperse an agitated crowd in the Chibinang area amid tensions over the GHADC election nomination process.
