SHILLONG:
The Supreme Court of India on July 10, stayed the order of the Meghalaya High Court for deployment of central armed police forces to stop illegal transport of coal.
It may be mentioned that the Centre had moved a Special Leave Petition (Civil) before the Supreme Court stating that Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) or Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) deal only with national security and law and order duty and not with coal mining.
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya High Court had passed these orders on March 13, 2023, March 20, 2023 and April 12, 2023, while hearing on the issue of illegal coal mining in the state.
The court had directed to ensure the deployment of 10 companies of the appropriate central forces to be commanded independently or jointly by the officers from the local police that may be selected by the court, strictly for the purpose of keeping a vigil on the roads and arresting the illegal transport of illegally mined coal in the state.