SHILLONG, Feb 28: Asserting that it did not want to behave like a headmaster dealing with adolescent school students, the High Court of Meghalaya on Monday gave an ultimatum to Chief Secretary, RV Suchiang, directing her to file an affidavit sought for by the court within this week.
The division bench of the court, consisting of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh, took strong cognizance of the failure of the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit on the movement of coal in the state, as directed by the court earlier.
Giving the Chief Secretary a last chance to file the affidavit within a week, the division bench said, “The Court has the authority, in such circumstances, to have the responsible officer paraded in Court for the repeated failure to comply with the directions. As a last chance, the Chief Secretary is directed to carry the affidavit to Court and have it filed in course of this week.”
The court was hearing a PIL filed by social activist Tennydard M Marak pertaining to the movement of coal in the state. The petitioner had asserted that illegally mined coal is transported in heavy vehicles without following the procedure prescribed under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 or the rules there under.
The court said it is distressing that despite the previous directions and an extension granted on February 14, 2022, the state’s affidavit has not been filed.
“The Chief Secretary will report to the Registrar General for such purpose. Let this be an example so that there is no further dereliction of such kind on the part of the state in adhering to directions for filing affidavits,” the order stated.
The next hearing will take place on March 7.