SHILLONG, JULY 24: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday demanded the state government to ensure indigenous people be given preference for appointment as Judge of the Meghalaya High Court.
In a letter to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, VPP general secretary Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon said, “…we vehemently request you to kindly intervene into this matter at the earliest and ensure that the indigenous people of the state with their professional knowledge and capability in the field be given preferential consideration for filling up the position in the highest echelon of their field.â€
This came after a media report on the appointment of additional advocate general of Meghalaya, Biswadeep Bhattacharjee, to fill up the position of judge in the Meghalaya High Court as per recommendation of the Supreme Court of India.
As a party we would like to express our deep reservation on such an initiative which tantamount to undermining the prowess of the tribal community of the state,†Dr Syngkon said.
He pointed out that there are few senior advocates from the legal fraternity of the state who have had a long standing experience in the High Court and whose knowledge and expertise in the field is widely known and said in addition to their professional efficiency and acumen, they also belong to the major tribe of the state.
Meanwhile, the VPP in a memorandum to the Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma has expressed strong disapproval and objection to hold the 20th Annual Conference of CPA particularly on a Sunday which is a day of worship by the majority of the people in the state.
The scheduled dates of the program, amounts to a sheer display of disrespect towards the religious belief and practice of the Christian community in the state, Dr Syngkon said.
Hence, a request for deferment of the dates of the above program be considered and ensure that in the near future, any program (s) as such should be held barring a Sunday, he added.