Urgent Call to Action: NFSA Demands Swift Filling of Crucial Forensic Vacancies in Nagaland | MorungExpress
NFSA Warns of Justice Delays Due to Forensic Lab Deficiencies
Dimapur, September 10 (MExN): The Nagaland Forensic Science Association (NFSA) has raised alarms over the dire need for forensic science development and the urgent recruitment of essential staff in the state. Highlighting the history, the NFSA noted that Nagaland’s first Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) was established in 1982, featuring fingerprint and photography divisions, later relocated to Kachari Gaon, Dimapur in 2018. During the inauguration of new facilities and departments in 2018, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton announced the creation of nine scientific posts via the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) exam — a promise yet to be fulfilled.
Despite persistent efforts by the NFSA, which comprises over 30 registered members, including continuous communication with the Home Department and Nagaland Police Headquarters, progress remains stagnant. The creation of these critical posts is still pending approval from the Chief Minister’s office.
This delay has caused numerous qualified candidates, some with PhDs and relevant qualifications like NET and the Forensic Aptitude and Caliber Test (FACT), to miss out due to age limits. The State FSL in Dimapur currently operates without Scientific Officers, Scientific Assistants, or Forensic Lab Technicians, severely hampering its functionality. Ideally, the FSL should perform various analyses such as DNA, fingerprint, ballistic, toxicological, blood splatter, trace evidence interpretation, and digital forensics.
The NFSA expressed serious concern over the delays in forensic report submissions, which risks the degradation or contamination of evidence during transport, potentially leading to justice failures and further distressing victims’ families. With new criminal laws implemented since July 1, the role of forensic experts has become mandatory, especially in crimes punishable by seven years or more in prison, as outlined under Section 176 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). This legal change necessitates a significant increase in forensic cases, exacerbating the current workload and causing likely delays in sending samples to nearby FSLs like Guwahati.
Welcoming the new legal changes, the NFSA urgently calls on the State Government to prioritize upgrading forensic capabilities in Nagaland and expedite the recruitment of forensic personnel to avoid further justice delays.
Original Story https://www.morungexpress.com/nfsa-demands-prompt-filling-of-forensic-vacancies-in-nagaland
Category : Nagaland
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