I am here to serve the people, says Justice Pant
SHILLONG: The swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya was atypical in nature as Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant was sworn-in on a day when normal life was crippled throughout the State owing to the 12-hour bandh enforced by pro-ILP groups.
Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant, a Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court was sworn-in by Governor Dr. KK Paul at a solemn function attended by Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma, Speaker AT Mondal and Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, among others.
He succeeds Justice T Meena Kumari, the first Chief Justice of the High Court, whose term ended two months back. Justice T Nandakumar Singh had been officiating as Acting Chief Justice.
Justice Pant, who took charge as the second Chief Justice of the newly established High Court of Meghalaya on Friday, however, observed that people can express their anguish over any matter through bandhs but it should be peaceful.
“People can protest but a bandh should not be violent,” Justice Pant remarked, when asked for comments on the agitation after the swearing-in ceremony held at Raj Bhavan.
He also said that people should not break the law during any bandh or agitation.
Later, speaking to reporters, Justice Pant said that as Chief Justice it would be his duty to understand the problems of the people particularly litigants and other stakeholders.
“I am here to serve the people and I will try to do it to the best of my ability,” he told media persons.
According to Justice Pant, though the number of pending cases in the Meghalaya High Court was not ver high, he would endeavour to dispose the pending cases at the earliest.