ITANAGAR, 19 Mar: The All Puroik Welfare Society (APWS) has appealed to the chief secretary (CS) to issue an instruction to the Kurung Kumey district administration and police department to ensure strict adherence to the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 while handling bonded labour cases in the district, and to refrain from customary settlement of cases.
In a representation submitted to the CS on Wednesday, the APWS claimed that, instead of registering first information report (FIR) and carrying out proceedingsunder the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the authorities often refer the complaints to gaon buras for informal or customary settlement when the complaints relating to bonded labour are submitted to the Kurung Kumey district administration and police department.
Any offence related to bonded labour is a cognisable offence requiring proper registration of cases and legal proceedings, the APWS said.
It sought a clear direction from the government to the Kurung Kumey district administration and police to the effect that all complaints related to bonded labour, forced labour, trafficking, or labour exploitation must be registered and investigated strictly under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, and other relevant provisions of the law.
The representation further said that “such criminal matters must not be referred to gaon bura or customary forums for settlement, as these bodies do not have jurisdiction over criminal offences.”
It urged the government to ensure that once a matter has been adjudicated or addressed through the formal legal system, the same case should not be reopened or re-litigated through customary mechanisms.
The APWS further urged the government to strengthen the District Vigilance Committee under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 to monitor and prevent bonded labour practices and to protect vulnerable communities. It called for awareness and sensitisation programmes for local authorities and traditional institutions, “so that criminal offences are not informally settled outside the legal framework.”
