SHILLONG: Despite the State Government initiating measures to address the problem of influx, it has not dropped the pending case in the Special Court against the pressure groups for the damages over Rs. 31 crore incurred during their agitations demanding the implementation of ILP.
The last hearing on the damage suit was on July 8 and the majority of the pressure groups including the KSU and FKJGP did not turn up, according to official sources.
The written statements of the leaders who would appear during the next hearing scheduled for August 8 will be considered by the Court.
It was on June 4 that the Special Court headed by First Class Judicial Magistrate R. Rymbai had summoned the presidents and general secretaries of the KSU, FKJGP, GSU, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Synjuk Seng Samla Shnong, (SSSS), All Jaintia Youth Welfare Organisation (AJYWO), Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF), Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Khasi Women Welfare and Development Association (KWWADA), Association of Democratic Empowerment (ADE) and A·chik Youth Welfare Organization (AYWO) to appear in the Court in persons or through their advocate on July 8.
The notice of summon was also issued through the newspapers giving one-month time so that the leaders of pressure groups can attend the hearing as earlier on several occasions, despite summons through the messengers, the pressure groups had not turned up for the hearing.
An official source said on Friday that if the concerned pressure groups do not appear again in the next hearing, the Court will proceed with the matter and decide the further course of action and subsequently, the matter will be heard ex-parte.
Earlier, the representatives of All India Garo Union and CSWO had appeared before the Special Court.
After the Special Court was set up by the Government end of last year, the first summon was issued by the Court on November 7 last year and the first hearing was held on December 3 last.
The State Government was compelled to file the damage suit of over Rs. 31 crore (Rs.31,09,50,158) in the wake of loss of property, both private and public, due to the several cases of arson during the agitations of pressure groups last year.
The Government based the case on the various clauses of Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act and the Supreme Court order banning bandhs and other forms of agitations.