By Our Reporter
Shillong: In a bid to speed up the process of creation of a separate High Court for Meghalaya, the State Government has recently appointed ten judicial officers for the purpose.
Talking to The Shillong Times here recently, Deputy Chief Minister and in charge Law, Bindo M Lanong said, “Ten judicial officers have been appointed and some more will be appointed soon.”
It may be mentioned that the Union Cabinet recently approved the proposal to amend the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, paving way for the establishment of separate high courts in Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura.
However, there is a question mark over the State’s preparedness to have its own High Court as the State government is yet to complete the process of separation of the Executive from Judiciary, which is a prerequisite to have a separate High Court. Pointing out that the State Government has already initiated the process of separating the Executive from the Judiciary, Lanong said, “No judicial matter is being taken up in the DC’s office and we have started the separation in a phase-wise manner.”
Observers also believe that lack of manpower in the State would delay the creation of a separate high court in the State, but the Law Minister had an entirely different take on the matter.
“We are committed to have a separate high court for us and we are filling up all the posts that would facilitate the early creation of the high court,” Lanong said.
Sources also say that the State Government would have to speed up the appointment process if it wants to have the High Court by the first part of next year.
Presently, all the Northeastern states come under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court except Sikkim which has its own High Court.