The Council of Nokmas in East Garo Hills has reacted negatively to the application of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) in scheduled areas.
District councils and other traditional bodies have expressed anxiety over the government’s move to extend the operation of the CrPC and CPC in the state. However, the Chief Minister has insisted that the notification extending the operation of CrPC and CPC will not interfere with the functioning of district council courts but is “purely to regularise the separation of the executive from the judiciary”.
In a release today, the Council of Nokmas opposed the CM’s announcement.
While noting that the CM said that the extension will not affect district council courts, “he has also stated that the powers of the courts under scheduled areas must be given to the magistrate too. I hope he is clear [about] the meaning and roles of the ‘magistrates’ who can only have power and exercise the CrPC and CPC.” the release said.
The village, laskers and district council courts aid in the dispense of justice in that they are local, solve disputes according to customs understood by the people and are relatively inexpensive to approach.
Thus, the Council of Nokmas is apprehensive over any potential threat to the Sixth Schedule protections of Garo inhabited areas.
