By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills District Administration suffered a blow when the Shillong Bench of the Guahati High Court recently quashed a CrPC order imposing restriction on the activities of the executive members of the Nongmynsong Dorbar Shnong during the election in the State.
The proceeding under Section 107 CrPC was imposed by the District Magistrate on January 25 against the executive members of the Dorbar Shnong on the basis that they are likely to commit a breach of peace or disturb the tranquility or may indulge in wrongful acts in the ensuing election.
In the order passed on January 30, Justice T Vaiphei of the Gauhati High Court stated that the impugned order suffered from the vice of non-application of mind and is arbitrary and also contrary to the provision of Section 111 (CrPC).
Advocate VGK Kynta had appeared on behalf of the petitioners.
According to the lawyer, the petitioners are all respectable persons with neither any past criminal record nor any criminal cases pending against them.
The petitioners were of the opinion that the order of the District Magistrate was passed without affording them a chance of hearing and without supplying a copy of the police report on which the order was based.
When contacted, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said the case is as per Section 107 (CrPC) where the members are issued a notice to come and execute a bond with the police and the district administration to prevent breach of peace in the locality which has been identified as sensitive in police reports citing incidences of clashes between supporters of different parties.
“It is just a notice issued asking them to behave properly. It is not a criminal case as such and if they challenge the order they will have to showcause clarifying as to why their locality should be exempted from this proceeding,” Goyal said.
Meanwhile, the Nongmensong Youth Development Organisation (NYDO) expressed shock over the criminal case filed against B Khonglah (Headman of Nongmynsong), Aplinda Nongrum (president of Seng Longkmie, Nongmynsong), Misdrop Mawkhiew (general secretary, Seng Longkmie Nongmynsong), Probity Nongpluh (vice president, Seng Longkmie Nongmynsong), Joshua Nongrum (president KSU, Nongmensong unit), R Shanpru (Rangbah Dong Umkdait) and Moses Synrem (Member Dong).
The organization condemned this action by some persons with vested interests stating that the members of Nongmynsong Dorbar and Seng Longkmie are all law abiding citizens.