HC imposes Rs 2 lakh penalty on police, Jaintia Hills administration, VDP

SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has imposed fine of Rs.2 lakh on the police officer, the additional district magistrate, the headmen and members of the village defence party concerned for not taking any action against the village authorities for ex- communicating a few villagers for marrying  non tribals in East Jaintia Hills.
During the hearing on the issues related to the powers of headmen on Wednesday, the Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice T.N.K. Singh said when the matter was reported to the local police and the additional district magistrate or any other executive or judicial authority “they should have, without caring for the orders of the local headman or the members of the village defence party, under legal obligation, protected the fundamental and legal rights of the writ petitioners (the respondents herein)”.
According to the Court, the authorities deserve to be visited with some punishments by way of imposing costs which should be paid as compensation to the writ petitioners.
“Thus, we impose the cost of Rs two lakh on the police officer, the additional district magistrate, the headmen and members of the village defence party concerned which shall be paid by them in equal proportion for payment by way of compensation to the victims/the writ petitioners,” the Court said.
Govt asked to register all marriages
The High Court has asked the State government to register all marriages after the villagers from East Jaintia Hills faced harassment for marrying non tribals.
“For avoiding the kind of dispute that has arisen in this case on account of inter religion or inter tribe marriages, it is worth directing the State government to ensure that all the marriages are compulsorily registered so that there would be nothing for any outside agency to interfere with inter religion nuptial relationships,” the  Court said.