Security personnel harass journalists
SHILLONG: The District and Sessions Judge, Shillong, Wanlura Diengdoh was sworn-in as the new judge of the Meghalaya High Court after he was administered the oath of office by the newly appointed Chief Justice Muhammad Rafiq on the High Court premises on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after being sworn-in as the new judge, Diengdoh said that it is his responsibility to do his job with honesty.
“I am here to serve for the good and welfare of my own people. I am sure that I will get the support of all who are part and parcel of the legal system,” he said.
When asked about the statement of the chief justice that over 2,500 cases are pending in the various subordinate courts, he said that as a judge, it is his responsibility to ensure that the pending cases are dispose of.
“I will be working hand in hand with the chief justice and other judges to see that these pending cases are disposed of,” Justice Diengdoh said.
Diengdoh had joined the judicial service in 2000 as an Additional District and Sessions Judge and later he held the post as the first registrar general of the High Court.
He was also the member secretary of the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority.
Earlier, media persons were not allowed to cover the swearing-in ceremony.
The invitation for covering the programme was sent through DIPR. But on reaching the court, media persons from both print and electronic media were frisked and their cameras were taken by the security personnel manning the entry point.
According to the security personnel, the order to restrict the media was imposed by the Registrar General. When media persons asked the Registrar General as to why they had been barred from covering the swearing-in ceremony, she said that there are some procedures of the court which need to be followed.
Interestingly, it was witnessed that the contract photographers and camerapersons were allowed to take photos during the swearing-in ceremony.
Even people who had gathered for the ceremony were using their mobile phones inside the hall to click pictures and capture videos of the ceremony.