Nagaland law students demand High Court, Govt. Law College, Directorate of Prosecution

Dimapur, Nov. 12 (EMN): The Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) has appealed to the government to establish a separate High Court, Government Law College and Directorate of Prosecution under section 25 A Cr Pc in Nagaland.

The federation stated that three pillars of government — Executive, Legislature and Judiciary – are necessary for a vibrant democracy but Nagaland lags behind other states in the legal field despite attaining statehood more than 57 years ago.

“The character and calibre of the legal professions is determined by the quality and standard legal education. However, the importance of quality legal education is significantly ignored in the state,” read its press release.

It stated that there are three law colleges — Kohima Law College, Mokokchung Law College and City Law College — in Nagaland recognised by the Bar Council of India but it is mostly pursued by “students who could afford the course at the minimal fee and within the state”.

It said that despite the law colleges in the state charging very low fee compared to institutions in other states, in order to enable interested students avail education in law, many still can’t afford due to economic reasons.

Citing this, the federation opined that ‘establishing a public law college in the state would not only serve the interest of the student community in general and law students in particular, but also would be a sign of progress for the state’.

“The state of Nagaland has the capability to produce best lawyers who can represent the High Court including the Supreme Court and even at the international arena provided due importance been given to the subject of Law. If the government cannot provide legal education in the state, there is no reason for the state to exist,” it stated.

The NLSF lamented indifferent attitude of the concerned authorities despite its repeated appeals through representation, memorandum, and peaceful dharna to set up a Government Law College in the state.

Recalling media reports in 2018 about the Centre approving the proposals for setting up of two colleges for advanced studies — an engineering college and a multi-professional college (Law, Management and Music Technology) — in the state, it described the non-implementation even after three years as a “profound show of negligence”.

“Due importance to the subject of Law studies, must be given at par with other professional studies,” it stated.