Naga lawyers protest removal of Edward Belho as Standing Counsel

Delhi, September 10 (MExN): The Naga Lawyers’ Guild (NLG), Delhi, has expressed its displeasure at the removal of Edward Belho as the Standing Counsel for the State of Nagaland in the Supreme Court of India (SCI). “It is highly regrettable that the first Naga lawyer, appointed as Standing Counsel in the SCI, has been unceremoniously removed from his position without any Show Cause Notice from the Government of Nagaland,” stated a representation from Worthing Kasar, Joint Secretary of the NLG.

Edward Belho’s sudden termination, without reason, has surprised fellow lawyers in Delhi; he is understood to be “a man of integrity” who upholds “professional ethics” and “who has been diligently attending to his cases with utmost sincerity.”  “The conduct of the Department of Justice and Law, Government of Nagaland, in adopting pick-and-choose policy without any merit is distressing and deplorable,” said the statement from the NLG, further urging Naga citizens to “appoint our own people to the post of all the legal offices of the state, including Standing Counsel in the SCI, and the Advocate General (AG) of the State.”

The NLG Delhi has pointed out that since inception of the State of Nagaland in 1963, the post of AG has been consistently held (as appointed) by non locals, except for a temporary period by a Naga. Same is the case with the Standing Counsel of the State in the SCI, a post that non Nagas have held, until 2009 when Mr. Edward Belho and Ms. Enatoli Sema were appointed.

The NLG Delhi has brought to attention that “today Naga society has requisite human resources and potential lawyers to fill the post of Standing Counsel for the State of Nagaland in the SCI and also the post of AG of Nagaland.” The Guild has, thus, requested the State of Nagaland not to play a “regressive role” and “reconsider the irrational action taken against Edward Belho and to re-instate him in the interest of progress of the people of Nagaland.”