Violence Erupts Over Garo Hills Council Elections, Sparks Curfews and Exam Postponements

The Meghalaya government postponed the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections due to violence sparked by a controversial notification on tribal candidates. Internet services were suspended, and curfews imposed following clashes. The High Court struck down the rule, deeming it procedurally improper, as violence spread, impacting school exams.

The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), originally scheduled for April 10, following recent violence in the area. The unrest, which claimed two lives, led to the suspension of mobile internet services in five districts and the imposition of curfews in West and East Garo Hills.

The violence erupted after a Meghalaya High Court ruling nullified a GHADC notification mandating Scheduled Tribe certificates for election nominations, a move that would have disqualified non-tribal candidates. This attempt to change long-standing practices led to widespread protests and clashes.

Amid the unrest, the Meghalaya Board of School Education postponed two class 12 exams in the West Garo Hills. The decision to delay the GHADC elections and the exams highlights the ongoing tension as groups in Garo Hills contest the inclusion of non-Garo communities in the electoral process.