SHILLONG, SEPT 15: In first of its kind, a Legal Care and Support Centre was inaugurated in St. Edmund’s college by Meghalaya high court judge Justice T Nandakumar Singh recently. The Legal Care and Support Centre in the college premises is the second centre in Shillong after the Shillong Law College.
The purpose of this centre is to render services to the people in the state and to bring equality and social justice to all. The main focus is to empower rural areas in the state.
Inaugurating the centre, Justice Singh emphasized on the importance of Customary Laws and that such cases are taken up accordingly. These Customary Laws often comes in conflict with the Constitutional Laws of India. He also spoke about the Article 39(A) of the Constitution of India which deals with equal justice and free legal aid.
Singh lauded the efforts of Blessed Edmundian Rice, the Founder of the Christian Brothers, who took initiatives 200 years ago to bring equality by educating the poor of the time. He said he was happy that the College is maintaining the traditions of the founder and providing yeoman services to the poor in the rural areas.
Justice Singh insisted on the need to have the customary laws of the Khasis codified in order to deliver prompt justice. He accepted the fact that it is harder for a judge in Meghalaya than in other states because of the presence of many customary laws which are oral.
NA Khan member secretary of Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, spoke about legal support centre being an offshoot of legal service. He also mentioned that the administration is based on the fundamental principle of fair play.
Khan also quoted Martin Luther’s , ”Where there is injustice anywhere there is a threat everywhere” and encouraged that in order to eradicate injustice efforts should be made.
St Edmund College principal Dr Sylvanus Lamare mention the importance of documentation as the laws in Khasi society is taken orally where miscommunication often takes place. He also expressed his gratitude to the social work department that social awareness is taken up by the students of this department even to the remotest areas of this state.
Lamare also said that the department of social work has lived up to the motto of the college “Facta non Verba” (Deed not Word).- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours