From Gauhati to Aizawl: Mizoram pushes for its own high court

The Mizoram Resource Mobilisation Committee (MRMC) has strongly advocated the establishment of a separate High Court for the state, arguing that it would fulfil key provisions of the Mizoram Peace Accord and improve access to justice for citizens.

The recommendation was made during an MRMC meeting chaired by Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Tuesday. The meeting reviewed a series of administrative and fiscal reform measures aimed at strengthening governance, reducing expenditure and enhancing resource mobilisation across the state.

Currently, Mizoram falls under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court. According to officials, the proposal for a separate High Court was first put forward by the MRMC Sub-Committee on Administrative Reforms in 2025 and has now received renewed support from the committee.

The meeting observed that the establishment of a dedicated High Court would not only advance the implementation of commitments made under the Mizoram Peace Accord but would also make judicial services more accessible and efficient for the people of the state.

Officials noted that adequate land is already available for setting up the institution and that a separate High Court could eventually help reduce certain administrative and logistical expenditures incurred by the government.

Apart from judicial reforms, the committee also reviewed ongoing efforts to rationalise government manpower and reduce public expenditure. It noted that the reduction of household peons employed on muster-roll basis and attached to the Chief Secretary and Secretariat officers has already resulted in substantial annual savings.

The MRMC further recommended reducing the number of orderly personnel attached to police officers to ensure more efficient utilisation of police manpower and lower administrative costs.

The committee also stressed the need to strengthen district administration and proposed the gradual transformation of District Rural Development Offices into Planning and Development Wings under the offices of Deputy Commissioners.

Additionally, the MRMC recommended that its Administrative Reforms Sub-Committee examine ways to enhance staffing in Deputy Commissioners' offices across the state while maintaining the government's commitment to fiscal discipline and administrative rationalisation.

The proposal for a separate High Court is expected to generate wider discussion in legal and political circles, particularly in the context of the state's long-standing aspirations for greater institutional autonomy and improved governance mechanisms.