ILP stir damage suit
SHILLONG: A year after registering the case, the Special Court, dealing with the damage suit of over Rs 31 crore involving 14 pro-ILP pressure groups, continues to pursue the matter.
It was on November 7 last year that the Special Court constituted by the State Government in October issued first summon to 14 pressure groups for the damage to both private and public properties during the agitations by them over implementation of ILP in the state.
The first hearing was held on December 3 last year. The Special Court is headed by First Class Judicial Magistrate R. Rymbai.
While only two pressure groups — All India Garo Union and Civil Society Women’s Organisation — used to attend the Court hearing regularly, 12 other groups — 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) — did not attend a single sitting. The last hearing on the case was held on October 17.
The Special Assistant Public Prosecutor Satyendra Kumar said that the framing of issues will begin during the next hearing scheduled for November 21.
The main issues which will be raised by the Court include “whether the case is maintainable in the present form, whether defendants called for bandh, road blockades, agitations disrupting the functioning of offices and all other activities, whether agitation of defendants resulted in loss of properties of the state and citizenry of this state, whether normal functioning of Government and discharging of day to day functions , and maintaining normal life of citizenry has affected besides peace and tranquility, whether the pressure groups called agitations in violation of judicial pronouncements and whether the defendants breached liberty granted by the Constitution of India”.
After framing of issues, trail will start and subsequently, the list of witnesses, both private and government, will be submitted to the Court. Following this, witnesses will be summoned and evidences will be taken.
According to the Government, if the pressure groups do not turn up for hearing, the Court will pronounce an ex-parte ruling which might lead to attachment of properties of various pro-ILP groups.
The State Government was forced to file the damage suit of over Rs. 31 crore (Rs.31,09,50,158) due to loss of property, both private and public, while examining 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 bandh and other forms of agitations.