Senior Advocate Revives Long-Pending Demand for High Court Bench in Barak Valley
Senior advocate Dharmananda Deb has formally revived the long-standing demand for a circuit or permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court in the Barak Valley. He highlighted the persistent hardships faced by litigants and lawyers in the region.
Distance and Poor Connectivity Create Major Obstacles
In a detailed representation submitted to the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and the Assam government, Deb pointed out that the Barak Valley, headquartered in Silchar, lies nearly 350 kilometers from Guwahati. Road and rail links are frequently disrupted by floods and landslides. This makes access to the High Court uncertain, time-consuming, and expensive, especially for economically weaker litigants.
The absence of a High Court bench has effectively curtailed the filing of writ petitions, public interest litigations, and urgent constitutional matters. This situation undermines the mandate of timely and affordable justice for the people of Barak Valley.
Legal Provisions Support Decentralization
Deb cited statutory provisions that allow for the decentralization of High Court functioning. These include the North Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, and the States' Reorganization Act, 1956. He recalled that the Assam government had sought the Gauhati High Court's views on establishing a bench in the Barak Valley back in 2014. However, the proposal was deferred at that time.
Changed Circumstances Strengthen the Case
The senior advocate argued that circumstances have changed significantly since 2014. He pointed to population growth, a rise in litigation, and improved administrative and judicial infrastructure in the region. The plea further cited successful precedents of High Court benches operating away from principal seats. Examples include Madurai, Jaipur, Siliguri, and Hubballi.
Decentralized benches have eased pendency, lowered costs for litigants, and boosted public confidence in the justice delivery system.
Call for Immediate Action
Deb urged the state government to initiate the proposal afresh. He called for seeking the High Court's concurrence at the earliest. A bench in the Barak Valley would ease hardships for litigants and lawyers from southern Assam. It would also help decongest the principal seat in Guwahati.
The revival of this demand marks a crucial step toward ensuring better access to justice for the people of Barak Valley. It addresses long-standing issues of distance, cost, and connectivity that have plagued the region for years.
