Advisor TN Manen with officers of Law and Justice Department and Government Advocates of Gauhati High Court during the coordination meeting held at Secretariat Conference Hall, Kohima on May 30. (DIPR Photo)
KOHIMA, MAY 30 (MExN): More than 90 percent of the cases pending before the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, are writ petitions related to service matters involving the state government, according to Nagaland’s Department of Law and Justice.
The figure was shared by Principal Secretary Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS, during a coordination meeting held with government advocates at the Secretariat Conference Hall on May 30. Sema stressed that effective legal defense is only possible through close coordination between government advocates and the concerned departments. He reiterated the department’s readiness to provide legal advice and serve as a bridge between litigating departments and their legal representatives.
Advisor for Law and Justice T.N. Manen, who chaired the meeting, said that “justice delayed is justice denied” and urged the legal officers to ensure justice is delivered without undue delay. He called for the law department to be kept regularly informed about important cases so that it can coordinate timely instructions. Manen also suggested that the performance of government advocates be reviewed based on actual case handling and outcomes, with reports submitted by controlling advocates.
Government advocates raised several issues during the meeting, including delays in service extension, low lump-sum pay not commensurate with their responsibilities, and frequent delays in receiving instructions and para-wise comments from departments. These, they said, often result in adjournments. Despite these challenges, they noted that many cases have been successfully defended, but such efforts often go unrecognized.
Following the discussions, it was resolved that regular coordination meetings will be instituted involving the Law and Justice Department, government advocates, and concerned departments. The department also agreed to ensure timely extension of appointments and mandated that performance reports be submitted by the advocates. The lump-sum monthly pay, which was last revised in 2014, will be reviewed in comparison with neighboring states, and a proposal will be sent to the Finance Department.
Additionally, the government advocates will prepare a list of pending cases before the High Court, Kohima Bench, categorized by department and case type, along with statistics on case outcomes over the past three years. In instances where departments repeatedly fail to furnish necessary instructions, the matter will be reported to the Law and Justice Department.
