Meghalaya legal associations dispute with Advocate General

A dispute has emerged between Meghalaya’s legal associations and Advocate General Amit Kumar. The High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association issued a joint resolution seeking Kumar’s removal from his constitutional post and stated they would no longer recognize him as the state’s top law officer.

The associations objected to remarks made by Kumar during High Court proceedings regarding a case involving the alleged assault of an advocate. Specifically, they contested submissions suggesting that Bar associations had failed to ensure a secure working environment for women lawyers. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) intervened, calling the attempt to take action for submissions made during judicial proceedings “unwarranted.”

In response to claims that the demand for Kumar’s removal was an attempt to shield a lawyer accused of sexual harassment, the Meghalaya bar associations issued a clarification. They stated the demand is unrelated to the harassment case, noting they have already suspended the accused lawyer. They clarified that their legal actions were prompted by an incident where the accused lawyer was allegedly assaulted and paraded through the streets by non-state actors.

Advocate General Amit Kumar reported that four individuals arrested for the alleged parading of the advocate have been released on bail. An investigation is ongoing, and CCTV footage has been collected. The High Court has previously expressed concern regarding the alleged assault and the perceived failure of police to prevent such lawlessness.