SHILLONG: It’s been three years since the State Government had filed the Rs 31-crore damage suit against 14 pro-ILP pressure groups for causing damages to properties, both public and private during the ILP agitations.
But the final verdict is likely to be delayed further.
Officials dealing with the case informed that the procedure of presenting evidences before the special court will begin from June 23.
Now, the charges will also be framed against the pressure groups which have been dragged to the court by the State Government.
It is learnt that there are more than 100 witnesses including deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and other police personnel in the list provided to the Special Court as part of the damage suit.
The Meghalaya government had in 2013 filed the damages suit in the special court of Rithelda Rymbai, seeking compensation of over Rs 31.09 crore from the groups for the damages and loss of private property, both individual and community-owned, and government property caused during the ILP agitation.
The government termed bandhs, road blockades and office picketing as “unconstitutional and illegal”.
Of the 14 pressure groups, only three had attended the hearing regularly.
Reacting to a query, official sources said that the Special court has started ex parte proceedings against those pressure groups which have failed to appear before it despite several summons and notices .
Initially, 14 pressure groups, including CSWO, came together to sponsor agitations to pressure the Meghalaya government to implement the permit regime under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 to check entry of outsiders into the state.
The CSWO later withdrew from the conglomeration on the grounds that it wanted to pursue the demand legally and not through agitations.
It may be mentioned that the State government has already dropped as many as 92 cases under the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act on a fast track mode.
