Meghalaya govt notified separation of executive from judiciary

Shillong, Dec 27 (UNI) The separation of executive from judiciary has taken one stride in Meghalaya with the state government notifying the Meghalaya Judicial Service Rules.

''The government has already notified the Meghalaya Judicial Service Rules to enable the separation of executive from the judiciary,'' state Chief Secretary S K Tewari told UNI over the phone from New Delhi today.

As per the judicial rules, he said the District Magistrates would be directed to oversee the matters related to law and order, where as the District Judges would look into the trials of civil and criminal cases.

Mr Tewari said the actual implementation of the Service Rules would take at least two to three years as the government would require infrastructure and manpower to look into the new branch.

He said the separation would be done in phases, as the expenditure for setting up of new buildings and appointment of staff would be costly.

''We hope that the Centre would extend financial assistance in order to fasten the process of separating the executive from the judiciary,'' the Chief Secretary said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court and the Gauhati High Court, Shillong Bench had directed the Meghalaya government to take steps for the separation of judiciary from executive in March 2003.

UNI RRK JYN DB1523