Kohima, March 2: The Government of Nagaland has incurred Rs 135 lakhs for payment of legal fee to advocates and Supreme Court related expenditure during the current financial year 2020-21.
According to a report of the State Border Affairs, Rs 135 lakhs expenditure is related to unsettled border dispute between Nagaland and Assam. The Border Affairs Department said presently it is primarily confined to Assam.
Nagaland boundary issue is sub-judiced in the Supreme Court of India on the basis of a civil suit filed by the Government of Assam in the year 1988.
“Several attempts have been made by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to settle the border dispute by appointing local commission to identify the boundary and also by appointing co-mediators to resolve the boundary amicably through mediation. However both the above efforts of the Hon’ble Supreme Court failed to settle the dispute,” the report stated.
Further the Border Affairs Department said Supreme Court had decided to hear the case itself and ordered both the parties to file their respective witness and to start the process of cross-examination.
Accordingly both the parties have filed their list of witnesses and the cross examination have commenced from September 2015. The cross-examination of witness from Assam is completed and presently cross-examination of the representative of Survey of India is underway.
“Thereafter the witnesses from Nagaland would be cross-examined. Altogether 44 affidavit of witness for Nagaland has been filed in the Supreme Court.”
Also during the year department officials had provided District wise orientation to all field level officers and witnesses.
The report said in order to maintain peace and tranquility in the disputed border areas, Border Peace
Coordination Committee has been formed in all the districts bordering Assam, comprising of representatives from both the states, which is purely voluntary. Further to create conducive atmosphere and for maintaining peace and harmony between the two states frequent meeting of the Border Peace
Coordination Committee is being held. Also culture and sports programmes are being organized in all the sectors of the disputed border areas.
Nagaland has been insisting for settlement of issue outside the Court through mutual understanding. The border dispute has become a chronic issue.
(Page News Service)
