Guwahati: The Nagaland Bar Association (NBA) has issued a three-month ultimatum to the state government to appoint the Advocate General (AG) from among members of the legal fraternity in Nagaland and expedite the completion of the new High Court Complex at Meriema.
The association said the memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister and Minister-in-charge of Law & Justice, Neiphiu Rio, on June 13, 2026. It was signed by NBA president A. Zhimomi and secretary S. Keyho, following resolutions unanimously adopted at the association’s Executive Committee meeting on June 8.
The deadline set by the NBA is due to expire on September 13.
The association said it had repeatedly urged the government to consider appointing the AG from among legal professionals in the state. However, it claimed that its representations and meetings with the Chief Minister had failed to yield any result.
According to the NBA, since Nagaland attained statehood in 1963, no member of the state’s legal fraternity has been considered for appointment as Advocate General.
The association has now demanded that the government make the appointment within three months. It warned that failure to meet the deadline could result in consequential action, including a boycott of the incumbent Advocate General in all court proceedings, both physical and virtual, besides other measures deemed appropriate.
The NBA also raised concerns over the prolonged delay in completing the new High Court Complex at Meriema.
The association noted that construction of the complex began in 2007 but remains unfinished nearly two decades later. It called on the state government to take immediate steps and provide adequate resources to complete the project.
The NBA said providing sufficient judicial infrastructure was the responsibility of the state and essential for maintaining a strong and effective judiciary.
The association further criticised the perception that Nagaland’s legal fraternity had not developed sufficiently or lacked qualified professionals capable of serving as Advocate General.
Describing such a position as a “slur upon the legal fraternity in the State”, the NBA said Nagaland had been a state for more than six decades and its legal community had developed significantly during that period.
It also stressed that the judiciary, as one of the three organs of the state, must receive due priority and should not be relegated to the background.
The NBA said the issues raised in its memorandum were matters of “utmost importance to public interest” and reiterated the need for a robust and effective judicial system in Nagaland.
The association has accordingly put the government on notice, seeking the appointment of an Advocate General from within the state’s legal fraternity by September 13 and priority funding for completion of the Meriema High Court Complex.