Traders’ body challenges govt weighbridge policy in HC

SHILLONG: The Association of Meghalaya Traders and Transporters has filed a writ petition in the High Court of Meghalaya challenging the weighbridge policy that was recently approved by the state Cabinet.
During the hearing on the matter on Wednesday, the High Court issued a notice to the state government as to why further order should not be passed by the court on the matter.
The case will be listed after the winter vacation.
Meanwhile, the president of the association, Enrico D Pasi, said the government’s notification on weighbridge is highly arbitrary as in a single route, more than seven weighbridges are proposed to be set up.
“The move will lead to random extortion and harassment to truckers,” he said while alleging that the Transport Department has resorted to illegal appointments of staffs on ad hoc basis and even gave promotions to them without following due process of law.
The statement also alleged that enforcement checkers who never faced District Selection Committee or other appointing committee were regularised by the approval of internal committee formed quietly by the department.
The statement also alleged that the department is on an appointment spree to various posts and some of the appointees are “kith and kin” of the officers in the department.
“All of these illegal appointees are posted at plump places like weighbridge and checkpoints of the department while some of them are even given the charge of government revenue check points,” Pasi said.