Protests Prompt Section 163 Orders at Meghalaya Government Office

Shillong: Authorities in Meghalaya have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita at the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner office in Khliehriat. The restrictions follow a demonstration that disrupted government operations on May 20.

District Magistrate Manish Kumar issued the order after supporters of the Jaintia Students Union, the Jaintia National Council, and residents from the Daistong area staged a protest inside the office campus. Officials reported that participants entered the building and created a tense environment, which hampered the daily work of the administration and raised concerns about public safety.

The administration stated that such unauthorized demonstrations pose a risk to government property and general law and order. As a result, the gathering of five or more people within the office boundaries is now banned until further notice. This order was enforced ex parte, and anyone found violating the rules will face legal consequences under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.