Shillong: The Meghalaya government will examine the concerns raised by the Shillong Bar Association and the High Court Bar Association over the functioning of the Advocate General’s office, Law Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said on Tuesday.
The two bar associations have been abstaining from court proceedings over their grievances concerning the Advocate General and the functioning of his office.
Rymbui said he stepped in after being informed about the lawyers’ protest and asked his secretary to meet representatives of the two associations. The representatives subsequently met the minister and placed their concerns before him.
According to Rymbui, the lawyers raised several issues, including those related to the Advocate General, recommendations for standing counsel and the engagement of persons from outside the state.
The minister said he would take up the concerns with the Advocate General and examine the issues raised by the lawyers.
He, however, said any decision on the matter would require careful consideration as the Advocate General holds a constitutional post and is appointed by the Council of Ministers.
Rymbui said the government could not act hastily without first examining the allegations and understanding the issues raised by the bar associations.
He added that if the concerns were found to be genuine, the government would consider appropriate remedial measures.
At the same time, the minister appealed to the lawyers to ensure that the protest did not adversely affect litigants.
“Court proceedings should not be disrupted to the extent that litigants suffer,” Rymbui said, stressing that cases already listed for hearing should not be unnecessarily delayed.
The minister said the government remained open to further discussions with the two associations and would study their grievances before deciding on the way forward.
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Meanwhile, the Bar Associations have decided to continue their abstention from court proceedings. They hope that the Advocate General will “gracefully step down”, saying that, being a lawyer himself, he would understand that he is “not wanted here”, said High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association Secretary General K.C. Gautam.
Gautam said that since the meeting with the Law Minister did not result in any assurance or positive outcome, the Bar Associations would continue their agitation. He said abstention from court proceedings was their “last resort” and that they would decide their next course of action by Thursday.
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