The Center today declared the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and all its factions, wings and front organizations as an illegal association for a period of five years from November 16, 2024.

The decision was taken due to the alleged activities of the organization against the sovereignty and integrity of India, the Home Ministry said in a notification. The HNLC, formed from the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC) in 1992, operates mainly in the Khasi hills of Meghalaya and claims to represent the Khasi-Jaintia tribes.

The MHA cited the group’s goal of secession, its involvement in extortion, its links with insurgent groups in the northeast and its criminal cases in Meghalaya.