{"id":487835,"date":"2025-05-18T00:17:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T18:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.com\/?p=487835"},"modified":"2025-05-19T11:10:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T05:40:57","slug":"rio-calls-for-balanced-justice-delivery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/2025\/05\/18\/rio-calls-for-balanced-justice-delivery\/","title":{"rendered":"Nagaland chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio calls for balanced justice delivery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Decries delay in High Court funding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nagaland chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio on Saturday stressed the enduring relevance of Naga customary courts and traditional justice systems, emphasizing that they continue to serve as a vital, community-respected mechanism for resolving disputes at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


He said this while addressing the tree plantation programme organised by the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) at the new High Court complex site in Kohima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Speaking on the dual themes of grassroots justice and environmental stewardship, Dr. Rio said that the customary courts of Nagaland, shaped by the wisdom of Naga forefathers, continue to serve as a vital and respected avenue for resolving disputes. He asserted that these traditional mechanisms are not only efficient and community-rooted, but they also promote reconciliation rather than punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Maintaining that customary law is inclusive, rooted in tradition, and respected by the community, Rio said: \u201cThese courts deliver quick judgments under community pressure and promote reconciliation, not prolonging conflicts. That\u2019s why they\u2019ve survived and remain effective to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Dr. Rio called for a harmonious coexistence between formal judicial mechanisms and customary courts, warning that excessive reliance on the formal legal system could alienate large sections of the rural population due to its complex procedures and expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cIf we look only to the courts, many villagers may lose access to justice due to complex procedures and costs,\u201d he said, citing incidents where even minor road accidents across the Assam border led to significant hardships for Nagas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Calling on the legal fraternity to maintain an open and inclusive mindset, the chief minister stressed that the formal judicial system and Naga customary courts need not exist in opposition, but can instead complement each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cCustomary courts deliver justice in ways that are understood, accepted and honoured by the community,\u201d he added, emphasizing that the spirit of customary justice is focused on healing rather than litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Quoting Micah 6:8– \u201cTo act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God\u201d– Dr. Rio said that true justice must reflect fairness, compassion, and humility. If justice is denied to people, we cannot expect peace and cooperation. Leaders must strive for balance between modern law and traditional wisdom,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Highlighting constitutional safeguards like Article 371(A) and the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, Rio said these provisions remain crucial in protecting Naga customs, traditions, and religious practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cThese are the foundations that allow our identity and way of life to be preserved even within the Indian legal framework,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


However, Rio expressed deep disappointment over the delay in establishing a separate High Court for Nagaland, blaming prolonged central apathy despite persistent appeals. Rio said that while states like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur have received full financial support, Nagaland was yet to receive any grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The chief minister revealed that Nagaland has already spent over Rs. 240 crore from its limited state resources on the new High Court complex, yet still require another Rs. 300 crore to fully complete and furnish the complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Law and Justice, Home Minister, Chief Justice of India, and the Bar Council, Rio said that Centre has not responded positively. \u201cIt is unfortunate, but we will continue to pursue what is rightfully due to the people of Nagaland,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


To ensure continuity of justice delivery, the government has converted the former Chief Minister\u2019s residence into temporary accommodation for the Chief Justice and allotted other government quarters for judges. Additional courtrooms have also been created at the old complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cEven if this complex isn\u2019t complete, we must not allow justice to stall. We must ensure that justice is delivered both letter and spirit \u2014 through formal courts and the values of our customary systems,\u201d Rio said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Using the occasion of the tree plantation drive, Dr. Rio made a strong call for sustainable environmental practices among government departments and the general public, particularly the police battalions. \u201cWith the manpower they have, police units can transform their compounds into models of cleanliness and greenery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


He further noted that plantation and care of the environment should not be symbolic but intentional and technical. Highlighting the importance of timing, he remarked that spring is the most suitable season for planting, and stressed that each tree planted today holds long-term ecological value for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Quoting a Chinese proverb \u2014 \u201cThe best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now\u201d \u2014 Rio reminded those present of the long-term consequences of environmental neglect. He also invoked Native American wisdom, saying, \u201cOnly when the last tree has been cut and the last fish caught will we realise that money cannot be eaten.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Advisor for Law & Justice T.N. Manen, and Justice Kakheto Sema of the Gauhati High Court also addressed the gathering, reiterating the importance of both environmental preservation and the need for an empowered state judiciary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Earlier, the programme was chaired by HCBA secretary Joshua Sheqi, with an invocation pronounced by A. Zho. Opening remarks and introductions were made by C.T. Jamir, Senior Advocate and president of the HCBA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nagaland chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio on Saturday stressed the enduring relevance of Naga customary courts and traditional justice systems, emphasizing that they continue to serve as a vital, community-respected mechanism for resolving disputes at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":487839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[679],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-487835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nagaland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=487835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487835\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/487839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=487835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=487835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=487835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}