Nagaland, situated in the extreme North East of India is the beautiful land of the Nagas - an amalgamation of several
tribes of Mongoloid descent whose people are simple, honest and truthful. The Nagas had a rudimentary system of
delivering justice based on simplicity and truthfulness. This customary law was handed down the generations solely
through the word of mouth differing in usage and practice among the various tribes. Though still unwritten,
it continues to be practised in the village level for resolving minor disputes. Its relevance was such that
when the Nagaland state was inaugurated, the people fiercely demanded its protection from the Indian system of laws.
As such, the constitution of India has a special provision Article 371(A) which protects the Naga customary laws.
However, with the advent of Indian system of governance, it became clear that Naga customary laws would not fully
cater to the needs of the people. Thus the need to fill this gap began with the inauguration of the Circuit Bench
of the Gauhati High Court at the capital Kohima, on the 1st of December 1972, by the Hon'ble Mr. Justice M.C.Pathak.