THE SHILLONG BENCH

The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court was constituted under section 31(3) of the North Eastern Areas re-organisation, Act, 1971 and established on the 4th September 1974. The inauguration of the permanent bench at Shillong following the creation of the State of Meghalaya was a major step towards attainment of the constitutional mandate to provide a High Court for every State besides ensuring speedy and inexpensive justice to the people at their doorstep.

The major tribes ∙ − the Khasis, the Jaintias, the Garos, besides other smaller tribes and sub – tribes inhabit the state along with a sizeable population from the plains. Under the Sixth Schedule of the constitution there are 3 Autonomous District Councils, which administer justice according to their customs and traditions. Against this backdrop a fusion of modern jurisprudence and the traditional jurisprudence is felt necessary for the all round progress and development especially in the process of reaching justice to the people of the State at large.

Even though Shillong had the proud privilege to accomodate the High Court of Assam which was the first High Court in the Northeast following the Independence in 1947, the establishment of the permanent Bench at Shillong was the result of the relentless efforts of the leading members of the Shillong Bar at that time, particularly (Late) Aronalley, (Late) Maham Singh, Shri A.D. Massar, Shri B.P. Dutta and Shri E.S. Massar.

The then Chief Minister Late B.B. Lyngdoh, then Law Minister at that point of time, Late N. K Rustomji, the then Chief Secretary, Late N.M Lahiri, the then Advocate General, Meghalaya extended their help and co-operation to bring forth its fruitation.

The Law Department and the Home Department were given the task of making arrangements regarding accommodation of the Court and the Residential accommodation of the Hon’ble Judges. Steps were taken in this regard and the Tapovan Bungalow was allotted for use of the Hon’ble Judges and furnished like a Government circuit house for use of the Hon’ble Judges who may sometimes be accompanied by their families. 

In the context of the inauguration ceremony of the High Court Building at Shillong it deserves special mention that after Independence, the High Court of Assam in its inception was opened at Shillong as it was the capital of Assam with Hon’ble Justice Ronald Francis Lodge, I.C.S. as the chief justice and the court functioned at Shillong for some time being housed in a portion of the Assam Legislative Assembly Building.

The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court as a circuit Bench was not sitting regularly till the establishment of the Permanent Bench at Shillong on the 4th of February 1995 which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.M. Ahmadi the then Chief Justice of India in the presence of His Excellency Madhukar Dighe, Governor of Meghalaya, Shri S.C. Marak Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri H.R. Bhardwaj Union Minister of State of Law and Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.K. Khana Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.

The foundation stone of the New High Court Building was laid at the Hermitage Compound by Union Law Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on March 2002. The New High Court Building is now at its completion stage and testifies to the dignity of the institution of justice with its imposing grandeur and finesse right in the heart of city within close proximity of the executive and the Legislative organ of the Government.