Shillong Apr 21 PTI The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday directed the state government to come up with a temporary additional facility to ease the congestion of the Shillong District JailHearing a PIL on the matter a two-member bench said it appears that measures have been taken by the state to improve the condition in correctional homesHowever in the correctional home at Shillong there appears to be 300 per cent occupancy it said asserting that this needs to be addressed immediatelyThe state has to take adequate steps to ensure that an alternative to the present correctional home at Shillong is ready as expeditiously as possible A temporary additional facility may also be explored the court saidAt present the Shillong District Jail houses over 464 inmates against its capacity of 175Established in 1897 the jail is meant for under-trial prisoners UTPs from the East Khasi Hills West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills districtsThe next hearing in the matter is on June 6 PTI JOP RBT RBT

Shillong Apr 20 PTI The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday granted three weeks time for the state government to introduce a roster system for implementation of the job reservation policy officials said Hearing a public interest litigation on the matter the two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said The State seeks some time to introduce the roster system Accordingly let the matter stand over for three weeks The court also reminded the state government that the roster system is relevant only for entry-level posts unless reservation is also provided for promotions Further to ascertain what categories of persons would be next recruited it is necessary to formulate a roster and apply the roster to all entry-level posts since the time the reservation policy came into effect including cadres that were born after the reservation policy came into effect it said Upon ascertaining the position in respect of each entry-level post will it be possible to assess how the discrepancies if any may be addressed by inviting more applications in future recruitments from categories which have been under-represented so that at a given point of time there is no further discrepancy the court added Acknowledging that it is no doubt an enormous task for the exercise to be conducted for every entry-level post across Government offices including other Government organisations where the reservation policy applies the court said that the same exercise has to be completed as far as the High Court and the District judiciary are concerned within a fortnight from date The next hearing will be held on May 11 PTI JOP JRC JRC

Shillong Feb 28 PTI The Meghalaya High Court on Monday gave the chief secretary the last chance to file an affidavit on the alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state within this weekA division bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said it is distressing that despite previous directions and an extension granted on February 14 the state governments affidavit has not been filedThe bench was hearing a PIL filed by social activist Tennydard M Marak who claimed that illegally mined coal is transported in heavy vehicles without following the procedureAs a last chance the chief secretary is directed to carry the affidavit to court and have it filed in the course of this week The chief secretary will report to the registrar-general for such purpose the bench said in its orderLet this be an example so that there is no further dereliction of such kind on the part of the state in adhering to directions for filing affidavits It may also be recorded that it gives the court no pleasure to behave like a headmaster dealing with adolescent school students it addedThe matter will be heard again on March 7 PTI JOP NN NN