Shillong, August 28: Leader of the Opposition Dr. Mukul A. Sangma on Friday sought clarification from Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma over protests by lawyers demanding the removal of Advocate General Amit Kumar, stressing the issue’s implications for the administration of justice.

Raising a point of order before Speaker Thomas A. Sangma on the concluding day of the Meghalaya Assembly’s Autumn Session, Mukul referred to media reports concerning grievances raised by the High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association, the Shillong Bar Association and other members of the legal fraternity.

Invoking Rule 300 and specifically referring to Rule 55 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, he urged the Government to state its position and explain how it proposed to address the concerns.

Mukul said the House deserved an explanation before the session ended, as members would have no further opportunity during the sitting to seek clarification. He also cited parliamentary convention requiring the Government to inform the House about significant developments while it was in session.

Emphasising that the administration of justice was an integral part of governance, Mukul cautioned that any disruption to the functioning of the justice system could have wider implications for the State.

Responding, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma acknowledged the importance of the matter but said members could have raised it through available legislative procedures, including a Zero Hour notice.

Conrad said the Government had refrained from making a statement because the matter was sub judice, with related proceedings pending before the High Court. Referring to his earlier statement on the law-and-order situation, he said the Government had kept the House informed about important developments but could not make a statement on this issue because of the pending judicial proceedings.

Mukul then sought a specific explanation as to how the matter was sub judice, pointing out that the media reports he had cited did not establish such a connection.

The Chief Minister said he did not have the relevant details immediately available. He recalled being informed about three days earlier, when the issue was expected to be raised, that the matter was sub judice, and said he would need time to obtain the details.

Mukul, in his concluding intervention, urged the Government to treat the concerns with the utmost seriousness, reiterating that the effective administration of justice was fundamental to good governance.