Shillong (Meghalaya), March 11: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has announced the postponement of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, citing the current volatile situation in West Garo Hills. The decision follows violent clashes and protests over the requirement of Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates for candidates contesting the elections, which left two people dead and several injured.
The GHADC elections were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, but the unrest and tensions in the region prompted the government to reconsider the poll schedule. The administration has imposed a curfew, suspended mobile internet services, and deployed security forces to restore order in the area.
The controversy surrounds the GHADC’s requirement for candidates to produce ST certificates, which some argue restricts non-tribal participation in the elections. The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) has blamed former MLA SG Esmatur Mominin for aggravating the situation, while Mominin has challenged the ST certificate requirement as unconstitutional.
