Shillong, Sept 3: The Bar associations have temporarily suspend the protest on Thursday (Sept 3).
A letter in this regard was sent to the Registrar General, High Court of Meghalaya.
The letter said that that the ‘High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association have decided to temporarily suspend abstaining from judicial work after threadbare discussion with the Deputy Chief Minister, and Law Minister’.
On September 1, the High Court of Meghalaya disposed of the PIL regarding the alleged molestation of an intern by a senior advocate and subsequent parading by non-state actors.
The Bar Council of Meghalaya has set up a physical drop box in the office of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and has implemented an online complaint portal on the website of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and procedure has been set out for filing an online complaint regarding sexual harrasment cases.
Full text of the judgment below
“The aforesaid petition was registered pursuant to a representation dated 29th July, 2026, submitted by the Secretary
General, High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association on behalf of the High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association. In the said representation, the petitioners had
highlighted the manner in which an Advocate was apprehended by non-State actors from his professional chamber and thereafter, subjected to physical assault and paraded from his chamber at
Keating Road, Shillong to Sadar Police Station. The grievance of the petitioners essentially was that non-State actors had taken law into their own hands, whereas the police abdicated its role by
not apprehending or taking action against the non-State actors or in stopping the assault on the Advocate.
Learned Senior counsel appearing for the petitioners had placed reliance on the judgment of the Apex Court in Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. Union of India
reported in (2018) 9 SCC 501, in support of his submission that,actions by non-state actors as was done could not be
countenanced. It was further submitted that in Tehseen S.Poonawalla’s case (supra), the Apex Court had issued several guidelines i.e., preventive, remedial and punitive to be
taken/followed by the State Governments. Since no FIR was registered against non-State actors for assaulting and parading
the Advocate, the aforesaid representation came to be made.
Mr. Kumar, learned Advocate General had assured that appropriate steps will be taken at the earliest in connection with
the said incident and accordingly, an FIR was registered during the course of hearing of the petition. Learned Advocate General also assured that steps will be taken by the police to ensure strict
compliance of the directions given by the Apex Court in Tehseen
S. Poonawalla’s case (supra). We were also informed by Mr. Paul that appropriate steps will be taken by the Bar Council of
Meghalaya as well as the Shillong Bar Association, qua the Advocate on a complaint by the concerned complainant.
3. On 3rd August, 2026, Mr. Paul assured that a drop box facility will be made mandatory in all Bar Associations as well as in the Bar Council of Meghalaya office, at the earliest, so that grievances pertaining to sexual harassment of women Advocates and interns if any, could be addressed.
Today, learned Advocate General states that the investigation qua the non-State actors, who assaulted and
paraded the Advocate is in progress and assures that the same will be taken into its logical end.
5. It further appears that Mr. Gautam, Secretary General,High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association has filed an affidavit dated 1st September, 2026. In the said affidavit, it is stated that in
the executive meeting of the Association held on 10th August, 2026, the Committee of the High Court of Meghalaya Bar
Association adopted the resolutions passed by the Bar Council of
Meghalaya and thereafter, have taken steps in implementing the same.
6. The Bar Council of Meghalaya has also filed their affidavit of compliance dated 31st August, 2026. The said affidavit has
been filed by Mr. Gregory Syngkrem, Honorary Secretary of the Bar Council of Meghalaya. In the said affidavit, it is stated that the Bar Council of Meghalaya in its meeting dated 31st July, 2026, has issued directions to all Bar Associations in Meghalaya to comply with the same.
It further appears that the Bar Council of Meghalaya has also set up a physical drop box in the office of the Bar Council of
Meghalaya and has implemented an online complaint portal on the website of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and procedure has been set out for filing an online complaint. The affidavit further
lists the steps taken by various Bar Associations, pursuant to the
directions issued by the Bar Council of Meghalaya, in terms of the
directions given by them. It thus appears that most of the Bar Associations have complied with the directions issued by the Bar Council of Meghalaya.
8. As far as allegations of sexual harassment made against the lawyer is concerned, it appears that the Shillong Bar Association has suspended him. As far as the complaint made to the Bar Council of Meghalaya against the Advocate is concerned, it appears that the said complaint has been registered by the Bar Council of Meghalaya as DC Enquiry and appropriate steps are being taken in accordance with the Bar Council of India Rules.
9. Thus, we find that the Bar Council of Meghalaya has taken positive and adequate steps to address grievances in future, if any.
10. In view of the aforesaid, nothing survives for further consideration in the petition. The petition stands disposed of
accordingly”.
(W. Diengdoh)
Judge
(Revati Mohite Dere)
Chief Justice
