13th Aug 2018 08:08:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

 
 
With the stone laying ceremony for the construction of High Court building on Sunday by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Arunachal Pradesh is all set to expand its judicial horizon. Set up in 2000, the permanent bench of Gauhati High Court has been doing a yeoman service in a traditionally customary law abiding state. On the other hand many of the states in the North East still follow the traditional customary laws insofar as dispensing justice at the grass roots level. For them, the customary laws are intrinsic to their life as well as an assertion of the tribal identity and authority. For a long time, of course, there was resistance in bringing modern law practices in the traditionally tribal states especially because the judiciary and executive were not separated. But that has now changed. Probably Arunachal is the last state in the region to separate judiciary and executive way back in 2006. Till then the role of judiciary was limited.  Since then, the judicial system in Arunachal took a quantum leap establishing CJM courts, district and sessions courts etc. 
At the same time the customary courts were also co-existing and doing their work commendably but they have their own problems. In a state with a large number of different ethnicities, the customs and cultures are vivid and varied. Thus the customary courts were handicapped in solving problems and conflicts between different ethnic groups. Here is where the role of judiciary came to play. Secondly, it may also be noted that like in every other modern society, the tribal societies too are patriarchal and the gender justice to women eluded them in traditional courts. The modern courts are the solution to the problems. 
Though the demand for a separate High Court was raised some time back, Arunachal with its limited population does not suffer from daily crimes like in other states and law and order situation is very normal. Many minor cases can be solved in Lok Adalats which, according to the chief minister, had dispensed of over 4000 cases so far. That is a good track record. Lok Adalats are cost effective, not time consuming like regular courts and delivers instant justice. 


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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