Meghalaya Bar Council Sets Up Drop Box, Launches Online Portal For Complaints Over Sexual Harassment Of Women Lawyers; High Court Told
The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (September 1) was informed that the Bar Council of Meghalaya has also set up a physical drop box in its office and implemented an online complaint portal on its website as well as established procedure for filing online complaints over sexual harassment of women Advocates and interns.
The division bench comprising the Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W. Diengdoh was hearing a writ petition filed by the Meghalaya High Court Bar Association (HCBA) seeking action on certain members of Hynniewtrep National Youth Foundation (HNYF) who on July 26, allegedly apprehended an advocate from his chambers, physically assaulted and publicly paraded him, before handing him to the Sadar Police Station.
The incident followed allegations made by a female intern that the advocate had molested her after calling her into a separate room on the pretext of collecting case files.
"It further appears that the Bar Council of Meghalaya has also set up a physical drop box in the office of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and has implemented an online complaint portal on the website of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and procedure has been set out for filing an online complaint. The affidavit further lists the steps taken by various Bar Associations, pursuant to the directions issued by the Bar Council of Meghalaya, in terms of the directions given by them. It thus appears that most of the Bar Associations have complied with the directions issued by the Bar Council of Meghalaya," the order notes.
The grievance of the petitioners was that non-State actors had taken the law into their own hands, whereas the police abdicated its role by not apprehending or taking action against the non-State actors or in stopping the assault on the Advocate.
During the present hearing, the Advocate General (AG) submitted that the investigation qua the non-State actors, who assaulted and paraded the Advocate, is in progress and assured that the same will be taken to its logical end.
The Bar Council of Meghalaya, in its affidavit, submitted that it has set up a physical drop box in the office of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and has implemented an online complaint portal on the website of the Bar Council of Meghalaya and procedure has been set out for filing an online complaint.
“As far as allegations of sexual harassment made against the lawyer is concerned, it appears that the Shillong Bar Association has suspended him. As far as the complaint made to the Bar Council of Meghalaya against the Advocate is concerned, it appears that the said complaint has been registered by the Bar Council of Meghalaya as DC Enquiry and appropriate steps are being taken in accordance with the Bar Council of India Rules,” the Court said.
The Court noted that the Bar Council of Meghalaya has taken positive and adequate steps to address grievances in future, if any.
Accordingly, the Court disposed of the petition.
Case Title: High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association & Anr. v. State of Meghalaya & Ors.
Case No.: WP(C) No.350/2026