Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya is pushing to build an independent Forensic Science Laboratory to handle a growing backlog of criminal cases. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh opened a suo motu case to address the state's slow evidence processing. Justice is stuck. They want faster reports and a digital portal for police records.
The court officially added the Directorate of Central Forensic Science Services and the state's own forensic lab as parties to the case. Judges tasked these agencies with checking if a standalone lab is actually possible. The court named K Ch. Gautam as Amicus Curiae to help guide the process. The Additional Advocate General requested more time to file a formal response.
This move follows specific orders from the apex court delivered on May 11, 2026. The bench aims to fix the current system where delays stall court hearings. As the order states, the court is concerned with "adequacy of FSL infrastructure and facilities in Meghalaya and timely submission of FSL reports in criminal cases." Officials must now prove they can fix the pipeline.
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