2.15.1 Under the Assam Re-organisation (Meghalaya) Act, 1969, an autonomous State known as 'Meghalaya' comprising the tribal areas of the Garo Hills District, United Khasi Jaintia Hills District, excluding the areas transferred to the Mikir Hills autonomous district was formed.

2.15.2 Under the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act, 1971, the territories comprised within the cantonment and municipality of Shillong which were part of existing State of Assam was integrated into the territories comprised in autonomous State of Meghalaya and a new State known as Meghalaya was formed.

2.15.3 At present, Meghalaya has independent judicial system under the control of the High Court of Gauhati.

2.15.4 Meghalaya Judicial Service Rules, (draft) 1988 govern the recruitment and conditions of service to the judicial cadres in the State.

2.15.6 Grade I consists of District and Sessions Judge /Additional District and Sessions Judge. Grade II consists of Assistant District and Sessions Judges and Chief Judicial Magistrates. Grade III consists of Munsiff / Judicial Magistrates.

2.15.7 The initial recruitment to the post of Munsiff / Judicial Magistrates is done by the Public Service Commission on the basis of the competitive examination and interview from amongst the Law Graduates to fill up 50 per cent of the posts in the cadre and the remaining 50 per cent of the posts will be filled up by the High Court by selection from amongst the members of the bar with three years' practice or from amongst the Law Graduates working in the Civil or Criminal Courts for at least seven years.

2.15.8 The age limit for recruitment through the Public Service Commission will be between 21 years and 27 years, and for selection by the High Court, the age limit will be between 25 years and 35 years.

2.15.9 After appointment, the candidate will be on probation for a period of one year. The initial pay on recruitment will be in the pay scale of Rs.2000-100-2500-EB-110-3050-120-3650-EB-125-4150. At present, there are one post of Munsiff and two posts of Judicial Magistrates in Grade III.

2.15.10 The post of Assistant District and Sessions Judge and the Chief Judicial Magistrate is promotional post from Grade III.

2.15.11 There are two posts of Assistant District and Sessions Judges and one post of Chief Judicial Magistrate in the pay scale of Rs.3500-125-4000-EB-135-4540-140-5100. The Assistant District and Sessions Judges are entitled for the special pay of Rs.100/- per month.

2.15.12 In Grade I, the post of District and Sessions Judge /Additional District and Sessions Judge is filled up partly by promotion and partly by direct recruitment.

2.15.13 67 per cent of the posts is filled up by promotion from amongst the officers in Grade II and the remaining 33 percent is filled up by direct recruitment from amongst the advocates with seven years' practice at the bar.

2.15.14 The appointment is made by the Governor.

2.15.15 The direct recruits will be on probation for a period of one year.

2.15.16 There is one post of District and Sessions Judge and one post of Additional District and Sessions Judge in the pay scale of Rs.3900-150-4650-EB-160-5450 with special pay of Rs.150/- per month.

2.15.17 The members of the service in Grade III shall undergo training course for 2 weeks in criminal courts and another 2 weeks in civil courts in order to acquire the knowledge of the original and establishment works of the courts including the maintenance of accounts and various court registers.

2.15.18 The members of the judicial service shall be required to undergo a training course in the North-Eastern Judicial Officers' Training Institute at Guwahati for such period as may be prescribed by the Institute.

2.15.19 The Shillong Civil Courts and Laws Act, 1947 regulates the jurisdiction of the Courts.

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