Cut Trees Only If So Dangerously Placed That Damage Becomes Imminent: Meghalaya HC Issues Directions For Felling Trees In A Shillong Colony

The Meghalaya High Court recently directed the State Authorities to instruct each and every applicant who has filed applications under Meghalaya Tree Preservation Rules, 1976, for felling of trees in the Lower New Colony area, Laitumkhrah, to explain the details how these trees 'have become dangerous to life and property'.The division bench comprising the Chief Justice I. P. Mukerji and...

“Little Or No Progress Made”: Meghalaya HC Displeased With State Over Delay In Resolving Crematoria Facility For Indigenous Communities

The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (March 4) expressed its displeasure regarding the progress made by the State Government in a PIL concerning setting up of crematoria to cremate the indigenous Khasi, Jaintia and Hindu persons.“Their rights and rituals accompanying the funeral are different but the procedure for disposing of the dead body is the same, by cremation. The indigenous Khasi...

Ramsar Convention: Meghalaya High Court Registers Suo Motu PIL To Ensure Maintenance Of Wetlands In State

The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday (February 27) registered a suo moto PIL to ensure that the Ramsar Convention wetland sites within the State are properly maintained and ensured. The said PIL was registered in pursuance of Supreme Court's direction requesting all High Courts to ensure that the RAMSAR Sites within their jurisdiction are properly maintained. To summarise, the wetlands, if...

Meghalaya High Court Directs Don Bosco School To Rebuild Potential Heritage Building Which It Demolished

The Meghalaya High Court on Monday (February 24) allowed the management of the St. Anthony's Lower Primary School, Shillong run by the missionaries of the Salesians of Don Bosco, to rebuild the demolished building of the school with the condition that the plan and architecture of the building should be more or similar to the demolished one.The bench comprising the Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji...

Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Conduct Inquiry Into Alleged Illegal Limestone Mining In Jaintia Hills

In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition alleging illegal limestone mining in the Jaintia Hills by a cement company, the Meghalaya High Court has directed the State Government to treat the petition as an informal complaint and conduct an inquiry into the alleged illegal mining. A division bench of Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh admitted the PIL stating it to be of...

Meghalaya HC Quashes FIR, Chargesheet Against Ex-DGP Accused Of Misusing Official Vehicle Registration Number

The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday quashed a 2024 FIR and charge sheet filed against the former Director General of Police (DGP) of Meghalaya, Dr Lajja Ram Bishnoi, in connection with a case related to the alleged misuse and tampering of his official vehicle's registration number. In its five-page order, a bench of Justice Biswadeep Bhattacharjee noted that the petitioner had the...

Meghalaya High Court Sets Aside Trial Court's Maintenance Order Due To Non-Disclosure Of Assets By Parties, Directs Reconsideration

The Meghalaya High Court recently set aside a maintenance order passed by a Trial Court under Section 125 of CrPC on the ground that no affidavit of disclosure of assets and liabilities were filed by both parties. The single judge bench of Justice B. Bhattacharjee observed: “Since, it is not disputed in the present case that the impugned order dated 16-02-2024 was passed...

Meghalaya High Court Asks Shillong Municipal Board To Construct Shelter For Stray Dogs In 30 Days

The Meghalaya High Court on Monday (February 10) directed the Shillong Municipal Board to ensure as far as possible that the construction of dog shelter home is completed within 30 days and the street dogs are provided shelter there. The division bench of the Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh passed the direction while hearing a PIL involving issues with regard to relocation...

Meghalaya High Court Questions Illegal Tree Felling By State In East Khasi Hills, Orders Replantation To Restore Ecology

The Meghalaya High Court questioned the illegal felling of trees in East Khasi Hills District, finding that no evidence was produced by the State compelling the cutting of trees in due process of law.Reinforcing the environmental accountability and the importance of preserving the State's green cover, the court directed the State government to take steps to plant trees more or less of the...

Meghalaya High Court Issues Contempt Notice To Don Bosco School Officials For Demolishing Potential Heritage Building

The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (January 28) issued contempt notice to the Don Bosco Technical School Shillong Management for demolishing the building of St. Anthony's Lower Primary School, allegedly an Assam-type colonial structure of significant architectural and historical value and which was fit to be declared as a heritage building. The division bench comprising the Chief Justice...

Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Conclude Land Acquisition Process For Expansion Of Shillong Airport, Runways

The Meghalaya High Court on Monday (December 16) directed the Meghalaya Government to take all steps so that the requisite area of land is acquired and handed over to the Airports Authority of India, preferably within three months, for extension of the runway and overall expansion of Shillong Airport. The division bench comprising the Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh...

Truck Overloading: Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Conduct 2-Hour 'Incognito' Inspections On Weighbridges During Peak Traffic

While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning State Government's inaction and mismanagement in operation of 28 weighbridges across the state, the Meghalaya High Court on Thursday (December 5) directed two-hour incognito checks on these bridges during peak vehicular traffic. A division bench of Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, at the outset however said that...

'Highways Are Of Paramount Importance For State Welfare': Meghalaya High Court Orders Expedited Construction Of Shillong-Dawki Highway

The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (December 3) directed the State Authorities to expedite the building of the National Highway from Shillong to Dawki near the Bangladesh border terming it of "paramount importance" for the "welfare of the state". The court further asked the authorities to ensure that afforestation work is strictly carried out. A division bench of Chief Justice IP Mukerji...

Law Student Defends Low Attendance Citing Medical Reasons: Meghalaya High Court Denies Permission To Sit In Exam Citing Mandate Of Law

The Meghalaya High Court yesterday declined to interfere with the Shillong Law College's decision to bar a student from taking End Semester Exams. The student was declared ineligible to take the exam because his attendance fell below the benchmark attendance requirement of attending 70% of classes on all subjects taken together prescribed under the Rules of Legal Education, 2008....

Rampant Dog Bite Cases: Meghalaya High Court Directs Shillong Municipal Board To Provide Shelter For Strays

The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday (November 27) directed the State government as well as the Shillong Municipal Board to take immediate steps to acquire shelter where street dogs can be kept.The division bench of the Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh passed the direction while hearing a PIL involving the following issues:With regard to relocation of the zoo...

'Seize Plastic Items Having Less Than 120 Micron Width', Meghalaya HC Issues Directions To Govt Until Plastic Substitutes Are Developed

While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a complete ban on single-use plastic (SUP) in the State, the Meghalaya High Court issued directions to the State Government to be followed until plastic substitutes are fully developed and implemented in the market. The bench comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh directed the State Government to follow the...

Portions Of NH-6 So Damaged That It Would Be Impossible For Vehicles To Pass But Repair Works By NHAI "Rather Slow": Meghalaya HC Fixes Timeline

The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to repair or reconstruct the very badly damaged portion of NH-6 stretching about 5 km between Jowai and Ratacherra within two months. The said direction was passed by the division bench of Chief Justice I. P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh while hearing a PIL, the subject matter of which is a...

Disciplinary Action Without Due Enquiry Is Illegal; Meghalaya High Court

Meghalaya High Court: Justice W. Diengdoh ruled that the termination of Shri Senora Johny Arengh from the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) without following proper disciplinary procedures was illegal. The court found that the termination violated principles of natural justice, particularly the failure to conduct an inquiry before dismissing the petitioner. The GHADC...

Injury Sustained While Undergoing Basic Training Attributable To Service Conditions, Employee Eligible For Disability Pension: Meghalaya High Court

A single judge bench of the Meghalaya High Court comprising of Chief Justice H.S. Thangkhiew, while deciding a writ petition held that if an employee sustained an injury while undergoing basic training, it is attributable to the service conditions and therefore, employee is eligible for the disability pension.Background Facts The employee was recruited into the Assam Rifles on March 12,...

"Liberty Is Sacrosanct, Must Be Safeguarded Under Law": High Court Grants Bail To Accused In Shillong Police Bazar IED Blast Case

The Meghalaya High Court granted regular bail to the accused who was arrested by the Police in connection with a low-intensity bomb blast that occurred in Shillong's Police Bazar in the year 2022. The Court granted bail after noting that the accused was under custody for two and half years and there was a bleak chance to get the trial completed as a substantial number of witnesses are yet to...