Tura, March 10: A social activist from the Garo Hills region has submitted an urgent petition to the Government of Meghalaya seeking reconsideration and temporary recall of the ongoing election process to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the region.
The petition was submitted by Cherian G. Momin, who appealed to the Commissioner and Secretary of the District Council Affairs Department to review the prevailing situation before allowing the electoral process to proceed further.
According to the petition, the Meghalaya government recently notified the schedule for the GHADC general elections through a Gazette notification dated March 9, 2026, issued under the provisions of the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951. The schedule fixes March 16 as the last date for filing nominations, April 10 for polling, and April 14 for counting of votes.
However, Momin stated that the prevailing situation in several parts of Garo Hills has become volatile following recent incidents linked to the electoral process. He pointed out that tensions escalated after former legislator Esmatur Mominin arrived at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Tura to file his nomination papers, which reportedly triggered unrest and heightened communal sensitivities in the region.
The petition further highlighted that several incidents of violence have been reported in the district, including vandalism and arson at Chibinang Bazar, where shops were allegedly damaged and set ablaze. In addition, two vehicles were reportedly torched near Gurjoo Studio and the MPRO Office in West Garo Hills, creating panic among residents.
The situation escalated further when police opened fire while dispersing a violent crowd during the enforcement of night curfew, resulting in the deaths of two individuals, according to the Superintendent of Police of West Garo Hills.
Following the escalation, the district administration imposed a 24-hour curfew across West Garo Hills to prevent further violence. Additional security measures were also initiated, including requests for Indian Army flag marches in the plain belt areas to help restore normalcy.
In his petition, Momin stated that conducting elections in an atmosphere of unrest could undermine public confidence in the democratic process and potentially aggravate tensions on the ground. He urged the government to temporarily recall or reconsider the electoral process until the law and order situation stabilises.
The activist also called for the deployment of additional personnel from the Meghalaya Police and Central Armed Police Forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF), in sensitive areas to ensure security and stability.
Furthermore, he appealed to the government to issue an official clarification regarding the legal and constitutional framework governing GHADC elections under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and to facilitate a peace dialogue involving community leaders, civil society organisations and administrative authorities.
Copies of the petition have been forwarded to several authorities, including the Governor of Meghalaya, the Chief Minister, the Minister in charge of District Council Affairs, the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of West Garo Hills.
Momin expressed hope that the government would take urgent steps to restore peace, strengthen security arrangements and ensure that the democratic process proceeds in a stable and secure environment.
