SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the Government to take corrective steps “for streamlining the process of administration of justice”.
The court said this while hearing a case in which the district and sessions judge in Williamnagar was not consulted before the appointment of a special prosecutor under the POCSO Act.
An affidavit in response was been filed by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya that stated the district magistrate concerned did not follow protocol.
“We find such an approach on the part of the District Magistrate seriously questionable. The Government has not specified as to what corrective steps have been taken to curb such faults and shortcomings on the part of the District Magistrate, particularly where the highest functionary of the judiciary in the District i.e. the District and Sessions Judge, is sought to be bypassed even contrary to the requirements of the statute,” the court said.
The court said on July 13 it noticed a questionable state of affairs as regards to the appointment of the Prosecutor in Williamnagar and made the order saying the District and Sessions Judge forwarded three orders passed in the POCSO cases essentially indicating that the matters were lingering for want of presence of the appointed Special Prosecutor.
The District and Sessions Judge had also indicated that the appointed lawyer is not interested in appearing in the POCSO matters; and that ‘his name was never proposed nor was his proposal consulted’ with her by the District Magistrate.
The Government Advocate that time prayed s for a few days’ time to complete his instructions and the matter was listed on Wednesday
The Court said that it is required of the Government to specify actions and corrective steps adopted for streamlining the process of administration of justice in a proper manner in accordance with law.
The matter has been listed after four weeks.
