Justice HK Sema, Former Judge, Supreme Court, unveiling the Golden Jubilee monolith of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench on December 1. (Morung Photo)
Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench turns 50
Morung Express News
Kohima | December 1
Nagaland having a High Court of its own is not wishful thinking but a Constitutional mandate guaranteed under Article 214, stated Justice (retired) HK Sema. According to Justice Sema, democracy cannot survive without a strong judiciary or a separate High Court.
The former judge of the Supreme Court was speaking at the Golden Jubilee of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, which was held under the theme: Honouring past, nurturing future, on December 1.
Reminiscing the time when he joined the Bar in Guwahati, he recalled that the scenario in Nagaland was different from what it is today. At the time, he said that there was hardly any case or lawyers from Nagaland, while the idea of a judiciary was largely unknown. In that backdrop, he said that the High Court Registry in Guwahati was rather reluctant to set up a bench in Kohima. “It was only after persuasions that a Bench was started in 1972 with only 2 staffs,” he recalled.
While stating that the judicial institution has come a long way since then, from a temporary bench to a permanent bench to the construction of a High Court and the state having over a thousand lawyers today.
Sema, who is also the Convenor of the new High Court construction in Kohima, further said that there is a burning desire to have a separate High Court.” While stating that the founders of the country, who framed the Indian Constitution, adapted a democratic form of government with an independent judiciary, he said that democracy cannot survive without a strong judiciary or separate high court. And setting up a separate high court was independent of any other prevailing issues, he asserted.
On the benefit and implication of having a separate high court, he said that it would affect proper value based legal education, which he added is a great equaliser. It will enable the court march in the mainstream of merit and will also open development and job employment, he said.
Describing the Bar as a place of growth, he said that it creates the space for shaping lawyers and judges, enable younger generation to thrive through the judiciary.
Justice Songkhupchung Serto, Judge, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench termed the 50th anniversary as a time to not only “count our blessings” but also a time to set new goals. He said, “We need to recollect the things we have learned as we cannot live on the laurels of yesterday. We need to make our mark for the generation to come.”
He said that the judiciary is regarded as the third pillar of democracy yet he expressed regret that it is most neglected segment, unlike in other developed countries, which empowers the judiciary.
Calling for introspection, he asked whether the contents of the Constitution have been a way of life and have been made alive by the people. The Bar and the Bench, he said, must to rise to the occasion and see what must need to be improved for the benefit of the state.
Law and Justice Department, Commissioner and Secretary, Taliremba said that a strong and vibrant judiciary is essential to the state. According to him, the Kohima Bench has performed its mandate in full measure since its inception. “This is right time to retrospect in the midst of all deficiencies and bring about positive restructuring so that we will be able to meet future challenges and become an epitome of dispensing effective justice,” he said.
Justice Devashis Baruah, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, was also in attendance as Guest of Honour.
