Recruitment of local judges in State HC demanded
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 22 2012:
The High Court Bar Association would be submitting a memorandum to the President and Prime Minister of India as well as other officials concerned to exert pressure for recruitment of judges from the state at the time of appointing judges for Manipur High Court.
Addressing media persons in this regard at the High Court Complex, Chingmeirong today, Senior Advocate L Kumarjit informed that the demand for a separate High Court in the state has been a long standing one and even the State Assembly had taken numerous resolutions in this regard.
The Centre had taken the issue seriously and accordingly the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed the North Eastern Area (Reorganisation) and Other Related Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 .
After the Bill was passed by both the Houses of Parliament, it is being sent to the President for her consent.
So, the demand for a separate High Court of Manipur would soon become a reality once the President's consent is received, Kumarjit said, while observing that with setting up of a separate High Court for the state, there will also be the need to recruit some Judges for the said High Court, which is likely to be named as Manipur High Court.
He pointed out that there is a provision stating that if any of the Judges in the Gauhati High Court desires to be a Judge in the Manipur High Court, it can be made possible by absorbing them in the desired High Court after approval from the President of India.
If the absorption is granted, then there is high possibility that the vacant posts in the Manipur High Court would be occupied by the Judges from other states.
N Koteshwar and T Nandakumar, who are presently placed as Judges in the Gauhati High Court, Manipur Bench, are likely to be absorbed as Judges in the Manipur High Court.
The proposal for recruiting the remaining posts of Judges in the Manipur High Court from the qualified persons of the state has been made to the President and Prime Minister of India through a memorandum which is to be submitted shortly, Kumarjit disclosed.
He further informed that an executive meeting of the High Court Bar Association, Manipur was held and minutely discussed the issue along with adopting a number of resolutions.
The resolutions are; the Bar Association shall make an effective representation to the President, the Prime Minister and the Union Law Minister of India for not accepting all options made by the Judges of the Gauhati High Court; there shall be no objection from the High Court Bar Association, Manipur in the matter of transfer and exchange of Judges after the establishment of the High Court of Manipur, but not at the cost and loss of their quota; all vacancies of Judges in the High Court of Manipur shall be filled up from the befitting persons who are practicing in the state of Manipur; the Secretary, High Court Bar Association, Manipur be authorized to submit an effective memorandum in this regard to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Union Home Minister, Union Law Minister, Governor of Manipur, Chief Minister of Manipur and Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court.