Lawyers suspend agitation

IMPHAL,July 9: The Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court will be fully functional from Tuesday onwards as state lawyers have suspended their agitation with effect from today, following assurances from the Union Law Minister.

Speaking to reporters in the regard at the Chingmeirong complex today,senior advocate N Kumarjit, President of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) stated that the resolution to call off the agitation which commenced from June 11 onwards was taken in a meeting of the lawyers body held today at the Bar.

A team of HCBA comprising of senior advocate H Nabakumar, Secretary M Roshni Piba and member Lenin Hijam met the Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on July 6 last in New Delhi. The matter of a separate High Court for Manipur which is on the pipeline was discussed and the team also tendered the grievances of the state lawyers being sidelined by the Gauhati High Court regarding the appointment of judges and ursurping of quota meant for Manipur by Assam.

In the regard, the Union Minister gave his full assurance on a positive note and mentioned to the HCBA team that the issues will be looked into at the soonest.

Following the positive outcome, the HCBA resolution taken on June 8 for members of the association not to enter Court has been suspended, Kumarjit said.

He also thanked the public, mainly the litigants for bearing with the agitation lasting for nearly a month. He said that the cease work would obviously have been a hindrance to the litigants seeking justice, but the stance was adopted in the interest of the public and to provide speedy and effective justice.