The Nagaland Bar Association (NBA) has set a September 13 deadline for the state government to appoint the Advocate General (AG) from among members of the legal fraternity in Nagaland, warning of consequential action, including a boycott of the incumbent AG in court proceedings, if its demand is not met.
The three-month deadline issued by the NBA is due to expire on September 13. The association had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister and Minister-in-charge of Law & Justice Neiphiu Rio on June 13, 2026, following resolutions unanimously adopted at its Executive Committee meeting on June 8. The memorandum was signed by NBA president A Zhimomi and secretary S Keyho.
The association said it had repeatedly urged the government to consider appointing the Advocate General from among legal professionals in the State. However, it claimed that its representations and meetings with the Chief Minister had so far failed to yield any result.
According to the NBA, since Nagaland attained statehood in 1963, no member of the State’s legal fraternity has been considered for appointment as Advocate General.
The NBA has now demanded that the government make the appointment within the three-month period.
It warned that failure to comply could result in consequential action, including a boycott of the incumbent Advocate General in all court proceedings, both physical and virtual, besides other measures deemed appropriate by the association.
The association has also raised concerns over the prolonged delay in completing the new High Court Complex at Meriema.
The NBA noted that construction of the complex began in 2007 but remains incomplete nearly two decades later. It called upon the state government to take immediate steps and provide adequate resources for completion of the project.
According to the association, providing sufficient judicial infrastructure is the responsibility of the State and is essential for maintaining a strong and effective judiciary.
The NBA also took exception to the perception that Nagaland’s legal fraternity has not developed sufficiently or lacks qualified professionals capable of serving as Advocate General.
Describing such a perception as a “slur upon the legal fraternity in the State”, the association said Nagaland has been a State for more than six decades and that its legal community has developed significantly during this period.
It further stressed that the judiciary, as one of the three organs of the State, must receive due priority and should not be relegated to the background.
The NBA maintained that the issues raised in its memorandum were matters of “utmost importance to public interest” and reiterated the need for a robust and effective judicial system in Nagaland.
The association has accordingly called for the appointment of an Advocate General from within the State’s legal fraternity by September 13 and priority funding for completion of the Meriema High Court Complex.