In a significant development for Assam's judicial infrastructure, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant is set to lay the foundation stone for a new integrated judicial complex in Guwahati this Sunday. The ceremony will take place at the Rangmahal site in North Guwahati, located across the Brahmaputra river. This event unfolds against a backdrop of intense disagreement between the state government and the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) regarding the move from the court's current prime location in the city center.
High-Profile Ceremony Amidst Ongoing Protests
The foundation-laying event will witness a gathering of eminent legal personalities. Joining CJI Surya Kant will be two former chief justices of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Vijay Bishnoi, both of whom now serve as judges of the Supreme Court. They will be accompanied by former Gauhati High Court judges Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, who are also currently Supreme Court judges.
The ceremony will also be attended by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Asutosh Kumar, and Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal. However, parallel to this high-profile gathering, members of the GHCBA have announced plans to stage a four-hour hunger strike on Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. This protest continues their agitation, following six-hour hunger strikes over the past two days in front of the existing court building, vehemently opposing the relocation.
The Heart of the Controversy: Relocation Dispute
The core of the conflict lies in the decision to shift the High Court from its present site in the heart of Guwahati to the new campus in North Guwahati. The state government's plan involves constructing a modern judicial township spread across 129 bighas of land at Rangmahal. The first phase of this ambitious project received approval last November, with an allocated budget of Rs 479 crore.
Advocate General of Assam, Devajit Saikia, who resigned from the GHCBA last year over this issue, has clarified the government's stance. He refuted claims that the relocation was a unilateral decision by the state administration. Saikia pointed out that the move was approved by a full court resolution in 2023 under the then Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta. He further cited a November 2022 resolution from the GHCBA itself, which stated the association had no objection to shifting all courts to a single, integrated campus.
Looking Ahead: Implications and Next Steps
The Sunday event marks a pivotal step in a long-planned infrastructure upgrade for the judiciary in Northeast India. The new integrated complex promises consolidated facilities and modern amenities. However, the strong opposition from a section of the legal community highlights the practical and logistical concerns associated with moving the court away from the city's central business and legal district.
The situation presents a complex challenge of balancing progressive infrastructure development with the convenience and established ecosystem of the legal fraternity. The outcome of this standoff will likely set a precedent for similar judicial relocations in other parts of the country. All eyes are now on Sunday's dual events—the formal beginning of construction and the symbolic protest—as the debate over the future home of the Gauhati High Court continues.
