NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging the Meghalaya high court’s stay order on the Assam-Meghalaya border pact.
The Assam-Meghalaya border pact was signed on March 29 last year between the state governments of the two states following conclusion of the first phase of talks to resolve boundary disputes in six areas of difference.
The Meghalaya High Court, on December 9 last year, had ordered an interim stay on physical demarcation of boundary between Assam and Meghalaya in connection with border agreement.
Following this, the state governments of Assam and Meghalaya moved the Supreme Court challenging the orders of the Meghalaya high court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated in the Supreme Court that the matter needed an urgent hearing.
A Supreme Court bench comprising chief justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala took note of the submissions of the solicitor general.
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“We will hear it. Please provide three copies of the petition,” CJI DY Chandrachud said as reported by PTI.
The Meghalaya high court ordered the interim stay on the border pact between Assam and Meghalaya till February 6, 2023 – the next date of hearing.
The Meghalaya high court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by four ‘traditional chiefs’ of Meghalaya.
“During the intervening period, no physical demarcation or erection of boundary posts on the ground, pursuant to the MoU dated 29.03.2022 shall be carried out, till the next date,” the Meghalaya high court had said.
The ‘traditional chiefs’ in their petition had urged the high court to set aside the MoU signed between Assam and Meghalaya.
They claimed that the border pact between Assam and Meghalaya violated provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.