No Blockade At Assam-Mizoram Border Now, Advocate Generals Of Both States Tell Gauhati High Court

The Advocate Generals of Assam and Mizoram have informed the Gauhati High Court that there is no blockade at Assam-Mizoram border now and carriage of goods by road is happening between the states.

During the hearing, the Court also observed that it cannot go into the inter-State dispute given Article 131 of the Constitution of India. However, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak noted that the High Court can look into the aspects of immediate law and order concern and other hardships which may require their immediate attention, which does not relate to the dispute between the two States.

Article 131 states that the Supreme Court shall have an exclusive jurisdiction in disputes which arise between the Government of India and one or more States in India, or between two States.

The Court was hearing two Public Interest Litigation applications seeking intervention in an unfortunate incident in which six police personnel and one civilian were killed, and many others were injured. The incident took place on the Assam-Mizoram border where allegedly the firing done by Mizoram Police resulted in the casualties. It was informed to the Court that investigation is going on.

The first PIL filed by an investigation agency seeks investigation; while the second PIL filed by the Mizoram Bar Association alleges that the blockade on the Assam-Mizoram Border is causing hardship to the people of Mizoram.

Advocate Generals of both states submitted before the Court that efforts are being made by both the Governments to move towards normalcy. They further requested that both the cases may be adjourned so that the matter may also be examined in the light of Article 131 of the Constitution of India.

It was further informed to the Court that there is no blockade, and goods are being carried by road from Assam to Mizoram and vice versa. However, there are some Railway tracks which have been damaged.

Adjourning the matter, the Advocate Generals were directed to get instructions.

The matter is listed on August 23, 2021. 

Click Here To Download The Order 

Read The Order