TAWANG, 27 Mar: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that, for Arunachal Pradesh to have a separate high court, the state government will have to take the initiative.
Speaking to the media here, Rijiju said there is no provision for central fund for setting up a high court.
“For the establishment of the high court, the state government will have to provide infrastructure. Budgetary provision should be made for the construction of a high court building. After the infrastructure is ready, then the union government will look into the possibility of setting
up the high court,” said Rijiju.
The high court’s foundation was laid by Chief Minister Pema Khandu in 2018 in Naharlagun.
Rijiju said that the governor, the chief minister and the Gauhati High Court Itanagar Permanent Bench Bar Association have called for having a separate, independent high court for Arunachal.
The Itanagar permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court, which was inaugurated on 12 August, 2000, is currently functioning in the state. It is to be noted that, in 2013, the Centre had in principle agreed to give a separate high court to Arunachal. The then chief minister, Nabam Tuki, had demanded a separate high court while attending a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, in Delhi.
Responding to Tuki’s demand, the then union law minister Ashwini Kumar and the then chief justice of India Altamas Kabir had agreed to the demand.
