Meghalaya: Curfew in 37 Garo Hills villages over non-tribal nominations in district council polls

Shillong, Mar 9 (PTI) Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district administration on Monday clamped night curfew in at least 37 villages identified as sensitive following protests by NGOs over the participation of non-tribals in the nomination process for the upcoming autonomous district council elections, officials said.

The curfew will remain in force from 6 pm to 6 am in the identified areas to prevent any untoward incidents and maintain law and order during the nomination period scheduled from March 9 to March 16.

District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal imposed the restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting any unauthorised procession or unlawful assembly of five or more persons and the carrying of arms or instruments that may be used as weapons, including sticks, rods and stones.

The prohibitory order covers 37 villages in the district, including 17 villages under the jurisdiction of the Ghallidayganj police station and 20 villages within Phulbari police station limits.

Earlier in the day, a former MLA was reportedly attacked by unidentified miscreants while attempting to file his nomination papers to contest in the elections, further escalating tensions in the district.

According to the order, there is a possibility of obstruction or intimidation of vehicles and disruption of normal life following protests linked to the filing of nominations.

The administration also expressed concern that such incidents could lead to a breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity, potentially resulting in injury, damage to property, riot or affray.

The order further noted that recent incidents have raised apprehensions of communal tension between different community groups in certain areas with mixed populations in the plain belt of West Garo Hills district.

The controversy comes amid a recent notification issued by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) making it mandatory for candidates to produce a valid Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate while filing nomination papers for the council elections scheduled on April 10, effectively barring non-tribals from contesting the polls.

The district administration said the precautionary measures were necessary to prevent any escalation of tension and to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election process. PTI JOP MNB