Shillong: Meghalaya will challenge Assam over recent attempts to enroll residents of Langpih in an Assam voter revision exercise. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong confirmed he directed the state Chief Secretary to contact his Assam counterpart regarding the unauthorized activity. Officials from Assam entered Noapara on September 3 for census work without permission from local leadership.
Village heads from Kampaduli, Noapara, and Bangjung flagged the intrusions to Tynsong. They were joined by Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA Remington G. Momin and Rymbai MDC Lurshai Kharbani. Kharbani noted the resistance of locals to the registration drive. "Our people said no, because we are already enrolled in Meghalaya. Why do we have to enrol again in Assam?"
Residents insist their settlements are Garo, their land is registered in Meghalaya, and their families have voted in the state since 1972. Data shows 85 per cent of residents have already started deleting Assam-issued voter cards. Tynsong plans to handle the dispute through administrative channels before escalating to ministerial talks.
Locals also demanded a temporary police camp in Noapara to improve response times and security. Tynsong said he tasked the Chief Secretary and DGP to review existing security gaps, noting that two Border Out Posts currently service the region.
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