Shillong, Dec. 18: Several thousand voters in Meghalaya have missed the Election Commission?s deadline to secure their right to franchise by enrolling in the state?s electoral rolls.

The last date for enrolment and procuring electoral photo-identity cards was November 30, but a sizeable section of voters failed to get their names registered. A senior official said these people would have to sit out the elections early next year.

?The deadline has expired, which means there is nothing that we can do now to help the people who haven?t filled up and submitted the relevant forms. The same...

Silchar, Dec. 18: The Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) has served ?tax notices? on some tea gardens in Cachar district, raising doubts about the genuineness of the outfit?s promise to call a halt to violence and extortion.

A senior police official said the DHD recently contacted executives of tea estates in Lakhipur sub-division and Udarbond block over phone and then mailed typed letters specifying the amount of money they were expected to contribute to the outfit?s coffers.

Planters? unions admitted to being aware of the development, but declined to name the recipients of demand notices or the amount...

Imphal, Dec. 18: The Manipur government is mounting pressure on the Assam Rifles to vacate the historical Kangla Fort, which it has been occupying for several decades now.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said at a meeting of the security coordination committee here on Monday that the paramilitary force should shift to a new campus as soon as possible. Works minister Gaikhangam, industry minister Th. Devendra Singh, chief secretary A.P. Sharma and senior officials of the Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF and the police attended the meeting.

The new campus of the Assam Rifles, located at Maha Koireng...

Guwahati, Dec. 18: The discount fever, the new-age mantra to boost business, seems to have finally caught up with the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC).

In a bid to encourage the public to use its fast-growing fleet and increase business volume, the ASTC will be offering discounts on fares to those who buy tickets above Rs 75 directly from its counters across the state from January 1.

Besides the discounts ranging from five to hundred per cent which the commuters can avail when they undertake their next journey on ASTC-run buses, passengers can also look forward to winning cars...

Silchar, Dec. 18: Wild elephants last night raided villages near the Badshahi reserve forest under Patherkandi block of Karimganj district, killing one person and seriously injuring another. The victim has been identified as Ram Suryabongshi of Longai tea estate.

Authorities there fear that the man-elephant conflict may worsen, with villagers preparing to attack the tuskers. The herd also damaged cottages and crops in the area.

The rampaging elephants made their way into the Longai estate belonging to the Assam Tea Corporation, bringing down 11 cottages. Rogue elephants destroyed over 70 huts...