GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) has announced plans to stage a protest on June 27 against the state government's decision to relocate the High Court from Guwahati to Rangmahal in the Kamrup District, situated on the Northern Bank of the river Brahmaputra.
Expressing deep concern and resentment, the GHCBA has submitted a memorandum to the President of India, urging the revocation of the decision.
According to the memorandum dated June 16, a meeting held on May 23 in the Chief Minister's office resulted in the formation of a high-level committee comprising a Justice of Gauhati High Court, the Advocate General of Assam, the Chief Secretary of Assam, the LR & Secretary of the Judicial Department, the DC of Kamrup, and the Special Secretary of PWD (B&NH).
The committee's task is to inspect a proposed land spanning 240 Bighas in Rangmahal's Amingaon area, with approximately 100 Bighas allocated for the establishment of a new High Court complex envisioned as a Judicial City.
Quoting from the meeting's minutes, the GHCBA stated that the new complex is intended to accommodate the entire Gauhati High Court, as well as other Judicial Courts of Kamrup Metro and Kamrup districts, including residential facilities for Judges, officials, and staff.
The GHCBA strongly opposes this decision, arguing that it is not only unreasonable but also undermines the role of the Bar members in the justice dispensation system and inconveniences the general public seeking legal recourse.
In their memorandum, the GHCBA highlighted that the proposed relocation would cause significant hardships for lawyers practising in the Gauhati High Court and other Courts and Tribunals located in Guwahati.
Additionally, the GHCBA emphasised that young lawyers, particularly female lawyers, would be severely affected by the extended travel distance to Rangmahal. They argued that the present location of the Gauhati High Court and nearby courts allows easy access for lawyers and litigants converging from various directions within the city.
Even if a new bridge currently under construction were to reduce the distance between Guwahati and Rangmahal, it would still require lawyers and litigants to converge at one or two points and cross the bridge from a specific location, leading to severe traffic congestion and wasted time, fuel, and energy. The association predicts that during peak hours, the rush of vehicles attempting to cross the bridge simultaneously would result in chaos.
The GHCBA also questioned the rationale behind the decision to relocate the entire High Court apparatus to Rangmahal. They highlighted that a newly constructed High Court building, costing approximately ₹100 crore, has been in operation for less than 10 years. Given this, the association contends that it is unclear why the authorities deemed it necessary to shift the entire infrastructure to Rangmahal when better accommodation could have been arranged in or around the current High Court premises.
The Gauhati High Court Bar Association demands the revocation of the decision to shift the Gauhati High Court and other Courts from Guwahati to Rangmahal. They propose that the building, reportedly being constructed as a Convention Centre, be handed over to the High Court for expansion and housing other Courts and tribunals within the Kamrup (Metropolitan) District. The association believes this will contribute to a better dispensation of justice and align with the development of the judicial infrastructure.
The GHCBA's protest on June 27 is expected to gather significant support from lawyers and legal professionals who share concerns over the proposed relocation of the Gauhati High Court.