Editor,
This is in connection with the letter of Mr. Dominic S. Wankhar (ST April 29, 2016) in your esteemed paper This is a clarification from NEC that anybody can meet any NEC Officer of the level of Deputy Secretary/ Director and above on prior appointment. This is the prevailing practice in all Govt. of India offices throughout the country. In case of enquiries where no prior appointment with the concerned officer in NEC has been obtained, one may contact the Director, Information and PR, NEC on phone number 2522668 or mail ID iprsector((pgmail.com for facilitating entry. Contact details of other officers are also available on the NEC Website www.necounci1.nic.in
Yours etc.,
Manas Ranjan Mahapatra
Director, Information and PR
North Eastern Council
Shillong-3
Dire shortage of judges
Editor,
It is a matter of grave concern that one of the pillars of our great democracy – the Judiciary is currently in the throes of afflictions in terms of imbalance in manpower ratio of judges to the population at large. It was precisely this issue over which Chief Justice of India T S Thakur shed tears in the presence of Prime Minister Modi et al in the recent conference in New Delhi. And coincidentally on April 27 last, during the Legal Awareness programme for women in the city, the Addl. Chief Secretary, Mr H Marweiñ, had passionately underlined the need for more women Judges to ensure expeditious convictions and justice to deserving women victims in the present trying circumstances where violence against women has become wide spread.
Apropos of news reports regarding shortage of Judicial magistrates of Grades II & III in Meghalaya the numbers are four and twelve, respectively. The Meghalaya Public Service Commission in its website has recently recommended the name of twelve candidates by way of written tests followed by personal interviews (mandatorily in the presence of an ‘eminent expert’ from the Judiciary) for appointment to the post of Judicial Magistrate Grade III which is under its jurisdiction. The results would definitely lie on merit alone. It was a music to the ears that more than 80% of the successful appointees were lady candidates. So even before the pressing concerns of the Chief Justice of India and the poignant appeal of the said bureaucrat, the matter in Meghalaya has squarely been dealt with to a larger extent with the timely response to the crying need in filling up the existing judicial vacancies, as compared to other bigger States. Kudos to the MPSC ! Let’s hope that the concerned appointing authority for Judicial Magistrates Grade II and above would similarly be expedited. In fine, the said action taken by MPSC could not have come at a better time.
Yours etc
Jerome Diengdoh,
Via email
India-Pak must rise above differences
Editor,
This refers to the article “Another case of missed opportunity” by Amrita Banerjee (ST, May 6, 2016). Our PM Modi’s short visit to Pakistan on December 25th 2015, surprised everyone and just after that the Pathankot air base was attacked. It is observed that there has always been one or the other stumbling block whenever India-Pakistan plan a joint effort to curb terrorism or for that matter other important issues. Both countries should now focus on joining hands to create an effective resistance against the militant outfits, who are busy plaguing the entire world.. There are many important issues between India and Pakistan such as business and economic ties, Afghanistan, the condition of Hindus and Sikhs and their places of worship in Pakistan etc. Both India and Pakistan should discuss all the issues frankly as it is of utmost importance that the two governments carefully plan their next steps. Both countries should act as a mature democracy play the right leadership roles.
Yours etc.,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad- 15
Should culture be static?
Editor,
So Sadiq Khan becomes the first ever Muslim to be elected as Mayor of London with an annual budget of 17billion pounds. To me it is one of the greatest cultural changes of this century. In nearby Mizoram too some records were made in 2008. Aizawl had its first Mayor, PC Lalhmingthanga. The missionaries came here in 1897 and began a transformative process that changed a primitive society into what it is today. By any standards is a worthy achievement. But Shillong where the missionaries came 56 years earlier (1841) and which even became the headquarters of the British Govt still has to dream about getting a Mayor.
Up to you dear readers to decide which is a better definition of culture. A nih nih tangmuri dance every year or some real achievements in the sand of history.
Yours etc.,
Rasputin Bismarck Manners
Kolkata