Shillong, Sept 23: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to continue opposing the application of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Code of Civil Procedure to the courts in Meghalaya.
In a meeting with headmen of villages and heads of different Himas convened at the State Convention Centre on Thursday, KHADC chief executive member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne asked the participants to raise their hands in unison to demand the State Government to issue a fresh notification as a correction to the previous notification by using specific wordings in line with the suggestions given by the Council.
Chyne said that the State Government had clarified that the notification would in no way dilute the powers and the notification is meant only for the district and sessions courts but there is no guarantee that the notification will not affect the customary practices of adjudicating cases at the level of village courts and subordinate courts and the jurisdiction of the District Council Courts to hear and try cases between one tribal and another in tribal areas shall not in any way be diluted.
He said that the KHADC would again write to the State Government on the need to issue a fresh notification with clear wording.
On the number of active and functional village courts and subordinate courts especially instances of tribals did not wait for settlement in the village and subordinate courts but very fast in lodging FIRs with police, the CEM claimed that village courts are still active and the tribals used to call the police only when heinous crimes like a murder took place in their areas.
He claimed all minor offences are settled among the tribals in the village and subordinate courts. (NNN)
