Shillong, Dec 7: The All Garo Hills Advocates’ Union has submitted a memorandum to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, urging the establishment of a Meghalaya High Court bench in the Garo Hills region.
The union has outlined several challenges faced by litigants and lawyers from the Garo Hills region due to the absence of a local High Court bench.
The memorandum, submitted to the chief minister on December 4, 2024, highlighted that a large number of cases in the Meghalaya High Court belong to litigants from the five districts of Garo Hills. However, the long distance to Shillong and high costs of pursuing cases in the High Court often forces litigants to abandon their appeals at the district level.
In the memo, All Garo Hills Advocates’ Union’s president Challang A. Ch. Marak said pursuing cases in Shillong imposes heavy financial burdens on litigants from Garo Hills, including expenses for travel, accommodation, and food. These challenges affect people who are economically disadvantaged, effectively denying them access to justice. He stressed that the lack of a nearby High Court bench prevents litigants from obtaining timely legal remedies, even in critical cases.
Furthermore, he said litigants often forgo filing contempt of court cases due to the logistical and financial constraints of traveling to Shillong.
He also pointed out that lawyers practicing in the Garo Hills region often miss out on opportunities to gain “practice experience” at the High Court level, which is essential for professional growth, including the designation of Senior Advocate status.
“Lawyers from Garo Hills Districts are being deprived of ‘Practice Experience’ in the High Court since the High Court is located at a very far away place and therefore, it is not possible for the Lawyers from the Garo Hills region to practise in High Court as well as in the Lower Courts at the same time. Hence, the Lawyers from the Garo Hills Districts are continuously deprived of being designated as ‘Senior Advocates’ besides foregoing other opportunities and benefits that follow,” Marak noted.
He further noted that the absence of a High Court bench deprives litigants in Garo Hills of being represented by local lawyers who possess a nuanced understanding of the region’s unique culture and traditions.
In its appeal, the Union underscored the importance of equal access to justice for all citizens of Meghalaya. It urged the government to consider the establishment of a High Court bench in Garo Hills to address the challenges faced by both litigants and lawyers in the region.
The Union stated that setting up the bench would ensure equitable legal representation and opportunities for all, regardless of geographical constraints.
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