Shillong: In a significant development, the Meghalaya High Court has broadened the purview of a Public Interest Litigation initially focused on cremation facilities. The court, presided over by Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, has now included the challenges faced by the Christian community in burying their deceased.
The division bench explicitly noted that “various denominations of the Christian faith are also facing similar difficulties in burying their dead in cemeteries.” This observation stemmed from the understanding that “a cemetery controlled by one denomination is not allowing dead bodies of persons belonging to other denominations to be interred in the same cemetery,” highlighting a pressing need for a more inclusive approach to burial grounds.
This expansion of the PIL follows encouraging progress in establishing shared cremation spaces for the Khasi, Jaintia, and Hindu communities. Amicus Curiae N Syngkon apprised the court that collaborative efforts with district officials and community leaders have yielded a solution where “a way has been found for members of the Khasi and Jaintia communities to share a crematorium amicably with their Hindu brethren by allocation of separate portions of a crematorium to each of these communities.”
To ensure comprehensive representation and address the concerns of the Christian community effectively, the court has mandated the inclusion of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council as party respondents in the ongoing litigation. These entities are required to be formally added to the cause title by May 15.
Furthermore, the State government has been directed to submit a detailed report outlining any existing or planned initiatives aimed at “increasing the number of cemeteries for members of the Christian community” by June 9. The next hearing in this crucial matter is scheduled for June 12, where further deliberations and potential directives are anticipated.
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