SHILLONG: Concerned over rising incidents of crime in East Jaintia Hills (EJH), two pressure groups raised the urgency to separate judiciary from the executive in the district even as they asserted that there was not a single conviction of criminals in the district.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the East Jaintia National Council (EJNC) -central executive council and Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM)-East Jaintia Hills met the MLA of Khliehriat, Kyrmen Shylla regarding the matter.
Pointing to the cases of rape and murder of a two-year-old child in 2016, the murder of an NGO leader, acid attacks, the groups said the victims in all these cases were yet to get their justice.
They asserted that the Executive Magistrate who is currently functioning as the Judicial Magistrate is loaded with heavy works which makes it impossible for them to effectively perform the same.
Stating that the officials perform their duty entrusted to them, leaders of the groups asserted there was delay in trial of cases in the district.
“In East Jaintia Hills District, there is hardly any regards for the law and the law hardly gives hope and protection for the people, the guilty are running around unpunished, victims are not getting justice and some innocent persons are thrown in jail for years,” the leaders said.
The groups pointed out that East Jaintia Hills was a district with one of the highest crime rate and second to East Khasi Hills. They claimed that over 400 police cases were registered in the district in a year and the backlog of these cases were ever increasing.
The leaders demanded the setting up of District & Session Court, appointment of Chief Judicial Magistrate and First Class Judicial Magistrate in the District without delay for speedy delivery of justice.
The groups pointed out that a building for setting up the District & Session Court, the Chief Judicial Magistrate and Judicial Magistrate First Class had already been acquired in the district, furniture and other facilities had already been installed.
“Rent has been paid regularly for one year to the landlord but the Court is yet to function. It amounts to wasting of tax payers’ money,” they said.
On the other hand, the groups also demanded setting up of C & RD Block in East Jaintia Hills as the two Blocks of Wapung and Saipung cater to many villages, up gradation of Khliehriat CHC to Civil Hospital, establishment of government college and not community college.