Shillong, August 20: The High Court of Meghalaya has taken suo motu cognizance of widespread violence and vandalism that broke out during a public procession organized by the Khasi Students Union, on August 19, registering it as a Public Interest Litigation.
A division bench comprising Justice H.S. Thangkhiew and Justice W. Diengdoh took up the matter just a day after the incident, on August 20 — an unusually swift response signaling the seriousness with which the court viewed the destruction.
According to the order, the procession resulted in extensive damage to public property, including government vehicles, out-of-station vehicles, and public transport. The court further noted that the unrest endangered common citizens, including school-going children, and that statues of national heroes were desecrated during the disturbance.
Appearing for the state, Advocate General A. Kumar — along with senior government advocate N.G. Shylla and government advocates A.S. Dey and J.N. Rynjah — informed the bench that authorities had already arrested some office bearers of the NGO involved.
The court, however, was not satisfied that this was sufficient. In its order, the bench directed that “more intensive steps need to be taken by the authorities immediately to apprehend the perpetrators of these incidents and bring them to book,” and instructed the state to file a status report on the action taken by August 24, 2026 — just four days after the order was passed.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on August 24, 2026, when the court will review the state’s report and likely issue further directions.
The petitioner side had no appearance recorded, consistent with the case’s suo motu — self-initiated — nature, with the High Court itself acting as the body prompting judicial scrutiny of the state’s response to the unrest.
