District and Sessions court overburdened due to non filling up of vacant posts
SHILLONG: An over burdened district and sessions court with only seven judges has added to piling up of cases in East Khasi Hills.
An official source said while District and Sessions Judge A.M. Ripnar is handling many cases under POCSO, CID, CBI, Motor Vehicles Act, Essential Commodities Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, NDPS, Consumer Forum, he is also dealing with both criminal and civil cases being a district judge. Besides, he also functions as additional deputy commissioner.
The source said there is a need to de-link several areas which are currently under the district judges.
Moreover, currently, there are two vacancies of additional district and sessions judge which are yet to be filled up for the last one and half years.
Below the post of additional district and sessions judge, there is an assistant district and sessions judge and a chief judicial magistrate.
Besides, there are four judges with the rank of assistant to deputy commissioner cum judicial magistrate and judicial magistrate under CJM, while another judge is head of the Munsiff court. Sources said that though there is separation of judiciary from executive in East Khasi Hills, the functioning of the district court is affected due to non- separation of works which have ultimately resulted in cases getting piled up.