GHADC Leadership Change: CEM Albinush R. Marak Resigns Amid No-Confidence Pressure, Prestone Tynsong Addresses Broader Context
Tura/Shillong, March 16, 2026 – In a significant political shift in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region, Albinush R. Marak resigned as Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) on March 16, just minutes before a special session was scheduled to take up a no-confidence motion against him.
Marak, who represents the Siju constituency and is affiliated with the National People’s Party (NPP), submitted his resignation to the GHADC Chairman on moral grounds. The move came after 21 Members of District Council (MDCs), predominantly from the NPP-led coalition, submitted a petition expressing no confidence in his leadership. This triggered the planned no-confidence motion for the same day.
The resignation effectively averted a formal vote to remove him, allowing the council to proceed with electing a new leader. Following the development, Dormonath Ch. Sangma was elected as the new CEM in a subsequent session.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who holds portfolios including Home (Police) and District Council Affairs, addressed the resignation in the context of ongoing regional challenges. Speaking after a state cabinet meeting on March 16, Tynsong announced that the Meghalaya government had extended the GHADC’s term by six months, pushing the council’s tenure to October 18. This decision postpones the GHADC elections originally slated for April, amid persistent law-and-order concerns and public unrest in Garo Hills.
The unrest originated from a GHADC notification—later quashed by the Meghalaya High Court for procedural lapses—that mandated Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates for election candidates. This sparked widespread protests, violence, and demands to restrict non-tribal participation in the council polls, with some linking it to broader calls for Inner Line Permit (ILP) implementation, though Tynsong has urged separating the issues.
Tynsong explained that the term extension provides breathing space for dialogue, consensus-building, and formation of a new executive committee. He stressed the government’s commitment to addressing local aspirations while ensuring stability, noting that decisions on sensitive matters like ST certificate requirements should be handled by the incoming GHADC leadership. He emphasized collaborative governance under Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma’s chairmanship to carry all stakeholders forward.
The developments follow internal party tensions, including the NPP’s earlier denial of a ticket to Marak for the upcoming polls, which had fueled discontent among his supporters and contributed to the leadership crisis.
This leadership transition and term extension mark a key step in efforts to restore normalcy in Garo Hills as the state navigates complex electoral and identity-related concerns.
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