Editor
, It was my privilege to visit Shillong and Nongpoh courts for some work. In both the Courts I had the experienced of my life. The standard of judiciary has gone down so much as compared to the judiciary in Assam, particularly after Meghalaya got its own High Court. Interestingly after the separation of judiciary there was urgent requirement of judicial officers, so the selection process started and young candidates were selected for all the three grades (1, II and III). Some very smart and intelligent officers were selected, and were posted without any training or experience to take up cases and using only their common sense. The capital city of Shillong is just under the nose of its new High Court and is being headed by a great officer – the District and Sessions Judge who is most knowledgeable and over-smart and has the capability to handle all types of cases very diligently, which is reflected by his attitude and behavior in the court. It is shocking how such an inexperienced person can be posted as District and Sessions Judge in the state capital when he is no better than a bench assistant. There are some other officers who do not have legal knowledge and are just law graduates but they act as judge and magistrate, thanks to reservation and quota system. We are very hurt and upset that the former capital of Assam is now under such a deplorable condition. If it was here in Assam such behavior wouldn’t have been tolerated. However, I consider this as the weakness of the advocates of Shillong because they are dumb and cowardly. Here in Assam especially in Guwahati we have a very strong Bar Association and even the Judicial Officers are very knowledgeable and cooperative within their limits. Because of this reason both sides get due respect unlike the misbehavior and tyranny of the judges and magistrates towards the advocates in Meghalaya. The future of the junior advocates is surely in the dark. The plight of the Nongpoh court is even worse. Advocates don’t even have a proper place to sit on and have to manage to stand in the corridors of the court premises without any chair and table. It is very sad that the status of the advocates is degraded to such an extent. In Assam we have great respect for our judicial officers and we do get mutual respect, thanks to our bar association and the judicial officers who maintain a cordial relationship. If no action is taken now and the anomalies in the functioning of the judiciary are not addressed then people will lose hope and faith in the judiciary in Meghalaya.
Yours etc.,
D. Goswami Advocate.
Gauhati High Court
Guwahati.
Misbehaviour of HDFC manager
Editor,
I, the undersigned would like everyone to know about the dictatorial attitude of the Branch Manager, HDFC Bank, Police Bazar Branch. His actions towards the customers whom he does not favour has not only irritated us, but compelled us to close our transactions with the Bank permanently. He has a handful of “high-end customers” whom he attends to at any point of time as per their whims and fancies, but normal and small time customers like us are shunted out of his business circle. In addition to the above, I have also personally witnessed the Manager’s rude and ungentlemanly behavior and attitude towards the staff of the Bank. Most of the time he only hollers and shouts at them as if they his slaves, and that too during business hours in front of the customers. He does not have any etiquette in dealing with his subordinates, and I personally feel very sorry for them. Further, I believe there is a senior Manager in the Branch by the rank of “Cluster Head,” who sits in his office chamber within the Branch itself. But where is he when all this is happening within the walls of his business house? Is he so scared of the Branch Manager that he does not dare exercise his authority over him? Or is this the way that HDFC managers are trained prior to their assuming their responsibilities? Sad to say, but at this rate HDFC Bank (especially Police Bazar Branch) may be heading for a downfall, thanks to such conceited and chauvinistic Branch Managers.
Yours etc.,
M Kharnaior
Shillong – 3.