Shillong, Jun 30 Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Justice Revati Mohite Dere on Tuesday said that good judicial infrastructure is "no longer a luxury but a necessity".
She said this after laying the foundation stone for the permanent District and Sessions Court Complex in New Shillong Township.
The new complex, coming up at Umsawli, is expected to significantly strengthen the state's judicial infrastructure and improve access to justice through modern facilities and technology.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Justice described the occasion as a historic milestone and said the foundation stone symbolised the beginning of a "stronger and more accessible justice delivery system."
She noted that the existing District Court in Shillong, which has served the city for more than a century, is no longer adequate to cater to the growing number of cases and lacks sufficient space for judges, lawyers and litigants.
"The new court complex will ensure greater dignity for litigants, improve access to justice, facilitate the use of technology for faster disposal of cases and provide additional courtrooms to reduce delays," she said.
Justice Dere said the district judiciary is the first point of contact for most citizens seeking justice and the new complex would be built on the principles of accessibility, integrity, efficiency and humanity.
Highlighting the need for modern infrastructure to implement the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, she said the complex would be equipped with facilities such as video recording of evidence, e-filing, witness deposition rooms and video conferencing.
"It is being built not merely for judges but for every citizen seeking justice, including women, children, farmers, daily wage earners and other vulnerable sections of society," she said.
Meghalaya Law Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, who attended the ceremony, said the project would significantly strengthen the justice delivery system in the state.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored the need for better judicial infrastructure and greater integration of technology and assured the High Court of the state government's continued support in improving court infrastructure across Meghalaya.
