Shillong, March 16: C H Vijayashankar has ordered a special session of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council on March 16 following a no-confidence motion against Chief Executive Member Albinush R Marak.
According to officials, 21 council members signed a letter on March 14 stating that Marak had lost the support of the House. Acting on the development, the District Council Affairs Department issued a notification convening the session under Rule 36(5) of the 1951 Assam and Meghalaya rules.
The special session will begin at 11 a.m. in the council hall in Tura, where members will debate the no-confidence motion in accordance with Rule 22(1), along with other council business.
The political development comes amid a tense situation in parts of Meghalaya. Last month, a notification issued by Marak barring non-tribals from contesting GHADC elections triggered widespread protests in West Garo Hills and nearby areas.
The protests turned violent, leading to incidents of arson, vandalism and clashes with security forces. Two persons were killed in police firing and several others sustained injuries.
Authorities subsequently imposed curfews and deployed additional security forces in affected areas. Restrictions have been eased periodically to allow residents to access essential services, while officials continue to monitor the situation to prevent further escalation.
