Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC Sanjib Banerjee inaugurates new District and Session Court building in West Jaintia Hills

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 20, 2023

Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Sanjib Banerjee inaugurated the newly constructed District and Session Court Complex in Khlehtyrshi, West Jaintia Hills District on October 19.

He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Sniawbhalang Dhar, Justice H.S Thangkhiew, Judge High Court of Meghalaya, Justice W. Diengdoh, Judge High Court of Meghalaya and Justice B. Bhattacharjee, Additional Judge High Court of Meghalaya.

In his inaugural speech, Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee emphasized the systematic development of new District Court complexes throughout the state, including strategically located complexes in Ampati, Mendipathar, Resubelpara in North Garo Hills District and the upcoming court in Mairang. He acknowledged the existing courts in Mawkyrwat, Williamnagar, Tura and the soon-to-be-completed Baghmara.

Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee emphasized that the strength of these institutions goes beyond their physical structures. He recognized the dedication of Public Works Department (PWD) engineers, judicial officers, and law officers who worked diligently to overcome challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He expressed gratitude for the remarkable progress made in less than two years.

Furthermore, he highlighted the judiciary’s pivotal role in maintaining a balance of power, especially during challenging times. He encouraged the development of District Council courts and expressed hope that they would draw inspiration from the regular judiciary to improve both infrastructure and the justice delivery system.

Chief Justice Banerjee also expressed gratitude for the substantial support received from the state government, including the Chief Minister, Law Secretary, Deputy Law Secretary, and the entire Law department. He also noted the upcoming inauguration of the National Law University and its significance in promoting legal education.

Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said “All these court buildings are being constructed all over the state, and if I’m not mistaken, this is the ninth building in the court complex in the entire state.”

Sniawbhalang Dhar emphasized the government’s commitment to hybrid and digitization case records and providing fully furnished residential quarters for judicial officers in all the Sub Division and District. He mentioned that the state government had received approximately Rs 145 crores under the Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for judicial infrastructure. Additionally, the state government had released an additional amount of 66.95 crores under the CSS and Rs 7.21 crores under the state scheme for ongoing judicial projects. He expressed the state government’s great satisfaction with the completion of the new court building and acknowledged the dreams and aspirations of the people, emphasizing that this achievement was eagerly awaited. He noted that this outcome, which at one point seemed uncertain, became a reality through the collaborative efforts of the judicial system and the government.

Justice H.S Thangkhiew, Judge High Court of Meghalaya, addressed the gathering, praising the efforts of those involved in making the new court complex a reality. He highlighted the importance of modern and well-equipped court facilities in delivering justice efficiently.

District & Session Judge N.A Khan, in his welcome address, provided insights into the history of the District Judiciary’s separation from the Executive in 2013, aiming to enhance the justice delivery system in the District. He noted that the District Court of West Jaintia Hills had been functioning from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner since the separation. He informed that the newly constructed permanent Court building covers an expansive area of 11.162 acres and was built with a sanctioned budget of Rs. 35,89 crores. The Court complex comprises the ground floor and three additional floors, with a total floor area of 93,631 sq. ft. It includes seven well-equipped courtrooms to serve the needs of the district.

He also mentioned the total pending cases in the District, including 718 criminal cases and 260 civil cases.

The event was attended by several distinguished guests, including Local MLA Wailadmiki Shylla, Cyril Diengdoh, Secretary of the Law Department, Government of Meghalaya, Deputy Commissioner of West Jaintia Hills B.S Sohliya, Superintendent of Police for West Jaintia Hills C. Syrti, and Registrar General of the High Court of Meghalaya E. Kharumnuid, along with members of the Bar Association among others.