Tripura may get a separate high court

Tripura is likely to get a separate High Court this month, official sources said today.
"Union Law ministry and Supreme court are discussing setting up of a separate High Court for Tripura on March 25.
Though we have not received any official letter yet, the union Law Secretary has discussed the matter with us verbally and asked us to remain ready for it", Tripura Law Secretary Data Mohan Jamatiya told reporters.
Official sources said, Dipak Gupta, a judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court was appointed the first Chief Justice of Tripura High Court who would be administered oath of office and secrecy by the Governor of Tripura on March 23.

Sources said, two other states - Meghalaya and Manipur also would get separate High Courts during the time.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Althamas Kabir and Union Law Minister Aswin Kumar would remain present in the inauguration programme.

Jamatiya said, a notification would be issued by the Rastrapati Bhavan for setting up of the separate High Courts for Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Population wise Tripura is bigger than Manipur and about 52,000 cases are pending in different courts, including 6,000 in the Agartala bench of Gauhati High Court, and the figure is on the rise due to shortage of judges.

The obligatory amendment of the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act, 1971 and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 -- was passed by the parliament in May last, which facilitated the way for setting up of separate high court in the state.
At present the Agartala bench is working under the Gauhati High Court.