Meghalaya High Court expands crematorium PIL to include Christian community

The Meghalaya High Court has expanded the scope of an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding cremation facilities to include the Christian community, acknowledging similar difficulties faced by different denominations in burying their dead.

The court, comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, took judicial notice that "various denominations of the Christian faith are also facing similar difficulties in burying their dead in cemeteries." The bench observed that "a cemetery controlled by one denomination is not allowing dead bodies of persons belonging to other denominations to be interred in the same cemetery."

This expansion comes after progress was reported in facilitating shared cremation spaces between Khasi, Jaintia, and Hindu communities. Amicus Curiae N Syngkon informed the court that after holding meetings with district officials and community representatives, "a way has been found for members of the Khasi and Jaintia communities to share a crematorium amicably with their Hindu brethren by allocation of separate portions of a crematorium to each of these communities."

The court has added the three District Councils - Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council - as party respondents. They must be included in the cause title by May 15.

The State government has been directed to file a report indicating whether it has "any existing or contemplated proposal of increasing the number of cemeteries for members of the Christian community" by June 9, with the next hearing scheduled for June 12.