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CHANDRASHEKHAR H. VIJAYASHANKAR

Governor

LOK BHAVAN

SHILLONG – 793001

MEGHALAYA

INDIA

On the occasion of Id-U’l-Zuha, popularly known as Bakrid, I convey my warm greetings and sincere wishes to the people of Meghalaya, particularly to our Muslim brothers and sisters celebrating this sacred festival.

The essence of Bakrid inspires us to uphold the ideals of compassion, harmony, and togetherness. Let it encourage us to build a more inclusive society, where progress is shared and every individual is respected and valued. By strengthening our bonds of friendship and solidarity, we can move forward with a collective sense of purpose.

May this auspicious festival usher in peace, prosperity, and happiness in every home across Meghalaya, throughout India, and around the world. May we continue to be guided by compassion and understanding, shaping a brighter and more hopeful future for all.

Sd/-

(C.H. Vijayashankar)

Governor of Meghalaya

I, M. Muniappan, F/o Hav M. Sampangi, presently residing at H/No. 257/1A, Veerapathira Nagar, Palepalle, Krishnagiri, Kandikuppam, Tamil Nadu have changed my name from M. Muniappan to Muniyappan Munimallan vide affidavit No. IN-ML 13314988789699 dated 26-05-2026.

I, Sanei, M/o Hav M. Sampangi, presently residing at H/No. 257/1A, Veerapathira Nagar, Palepalle, Krishnagiri, Kandikuppam, Tamil Nadu have changed my name from Sanei to Chenni vide affidavit No. IN-ML 13314781332114 dated 26-05-2026.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 27: A small but remarkable discovery has emerged from the leaf litter at the sacred groves at Mawphlang in East Khasi Hills.

Scientists have identified a new species of toad — now named Duttaphrynus dhara — in honour of the traditional Khasi female attire “Dhara”. The name is a beautiful tribute to the rich cultural heritage, deep-rooted traditions, and the timeless bond the Khasi people share with their forests and hills.

The discovery happened during routine field surveys in the high-elevation landscapes of Mawphlang, at around 1,854 metres above sea level. The tiny toads were found hiding among low vegetation and leaf litter in fallow agricultural fields bordering thick montane forests.

Unlike the common Asian toad that thrives near human settlements, this new species appears to prefer the quieter, forest-edge habitats — a true child of the wild hills.

Duttaphrynus dhara is a small, charming toad. Adult males measure just 40 to 41.8 mm in length. It has a compact body, a wide head, no strong cranial ridges, and skin covered with numerous pointed, rough warts. In the soft light of the hills, it displays a brown body adorned with irregular black patches, a thin pale line running down its back, dark fingers and toes, and a creamy white belly marked with black blotches. (Contd on P-7)

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 27: Shifting from his earlier opposition, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday indicated a more flexible and relaxed position on the proposed Uniform Civil Code, citing comfort with recent laws enacted in Assam and Uttarakhand that exempted tribal customary laws.

Sangma, however, maintained that the Meghalaya government would reserve its final stand until it thoroughly examines the actual contents and framework of any proposed UCC.

Addressing reporters, the Chief Minister said he had consistently maintained that it was difficult to take a firm position on the UCC without seeing its exact provisions. He noted that the term “Uniform Civil Code” itself is broad and open to interpretation.

“My initial opposition stemmed from concerns that tribal customary practices and Meghalaya’s matrilineal system could be overridden by a national legal framework,” Sangma said.

He recalled that when the UCC was first discussed, there was widespread apprehension among tribal communities that their unique laws and traditions would be affected. However, after studying the UCC-related laws implemented in Assam and Uttarakhand, he expressed that he was “slightly more at comfort” because both states had specifically kept tribal customary laws outside their ambit.

Sangma added that the inclusion of safeguards protecting tribal rights has changed the context of the debate to some extent. Nevertheless, he stressed that Meghalaya would continue to examine any future proposal carefully from both legal and political angles before taking a final position.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the state’s primary concern remains the protection of its matrilineal system and indigenous tribal customs.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 27: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is all set to announce senior lawyer V.G.K. Kynta as its candidate for the upcoming by-election to the vacant Shillong Parliamentary seat.

The party is scheduled to formally announce Kynta’s name on Thursday.

Party sources said the decision on Kynta’s candidature had been finalised a few weeks ago but the announcement was delayed as the UDP wanted to place his name before the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), which comprises the UDP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).

According to sources, leaders of the RDA met on Monday, during which both parties endorsed the proposal to field Kynta as the alliance’s common candidate for the by-election.

With the UDP’s announcement, the upcoming bypoll is set to witness a multi-cornered contest among the VPP’s Batskhem Myrboh, NPP’s D.R.L. Nonglait, Congress’s Vincent H. Pala and the UDP candidate.

The BJP is also poised to nominate its candidate for the electoral contest with as many as nine aspirants vying for the party ticket.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Shillong, the UDP had put up Robertjune Kharjahrin as its candidate but he managed to secure only the fourth position behind Ricky A.J. Syngkon (the eventual winner), Vincent H. Pala (Congress) and Ampareen Lyngdoh (NPP).

Prime accused Samarth Singh being escorted in the district court in connection with the death case of his wife and former model-actor Twisha Sharma, in Bhopal on Wednesday. The case has been transferred to the CBI following directions from the Supreme Court. (PTI) See P-5

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 27: The NPP on Wednesday said decisions relating to the June 18 Rajya Sabha election would be taken collectively through internal discussions among party legislators, amid opposition claims of growing divisions within the ruling party.

NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the party did not function through a “high command” system and instead followed a democratic process where discussions and differing opinions were encouraged before any decision was finalised. Briefing reporters, Sangma said party members and MLAs would sit together and decide the way forward on the Rajya Sabha election collectively.

According to him, differences of opinion within the party should not be viewed as signs of division but as part of a healthy democratic process.

Sangma also dismissed MPCC president Vincent H. Pala’s allegations of widening cracks within the ruling party. He concluded by saying that Pala should be more concerned about the situation within the Congress rather than speculating about the NPP.

MUMBAI, May 27: The rupee settled higher by 12 paise at 95.58 against the US dollar on Wednesday, as renewed tensions between the US and Iran and delays in negotiations kept investors cautious.

Forex traders said a strong American currency and weak domestic markets also pressured the rupee. Attention has shifted toward the upcoming RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting scheduled between June 3 and 5, they said.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.60 against the US dollar, and touched an intra-day low of 95.79 against the American currency. (PTI)

I, Bela Datta W/o (L) Gurudas Datta R/o 153/27, Rait Laban Shillong, have changed my name to Bela Rani Dutta for all future purposes as per affidavit/ Deed dated 19.05.26, Shillong.

(IANS)

MUMBAI, May 27: Bench-mark equity indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower in a volatile trading session on Wednesday as weakness in banking and financial stocks, coupled with geopolitical uncertainties surrounding the US-Iran situation, kept investors cautious.

The 30-share Sensex slipped 141.90 points, or 0.19 per cent, to settle at 75,867.80. The index had opened on a positive note but lost momentum as the day progressed.

Commenting on Nifty technical outlook, experts said that the 23,800 region remains an important im-mediate support zone, and a decisive break below this area could extend weakness toward the 23,600–23,500 levels.

“On the upside, the 24,000–24,100 range con-tinues to act as a strong resistance band, and only a sustained move above this zone could revive bull-ish momentum toward the 24,200 levels,” an analyst stated.

Among the top losers on the Nifty were Oil and Natu-ral Gas Corporation, HDFC Bank and HDFC Life Insur-ance, with financial stocks remaining under pressure throughout the session.

On the gaining side, Pow-er Grid Corporation of India, Eternal and NTPC rose more than 2 per cent each among Sensex constituents.

Other notable gainers included Tata Steel, IndiGo, Maruti Suzuki, Titan Com-pany and Asian Paints.

The broader Nifty also closed marginally lower, fall-ing 6.55 points, or 0.03 per cent, to end at 23,907.15.

Market sentiment re-mained subdued as inves-tors monitored developments related to the United States and Iran.

Reports of US strikes in southern Iran on Tuesday, despite ongoing negotia-tions and expectations of a possible deal between Wash-ington and Tehran, added to concerns over the fragile geopolitical environment.

In the broader market, midcap and smallcap stocks outperformed the bench-mark indices. The Nifty MidCap index settled 0.42 per cent higher, while the Nifty SmallCap index gained 0.15 per cent.

Sectorally, the Nifty Fi-nancial Services, Nifty Bank and Nifty Private Bank indi-ces were among the worst performers.

In contrast, the Nifty Me-dia, Nifty Metal and Nifty Auto indices ended higher, supported by buying interest in select stocks.

Analysts said persistent geopolitical uncertainty and fresh foreign institutional in-vestor outflows continued to keep traders on edge despite resilience in broader market segments.