Gauhati HC clarifies misinformation on proposed judicial township amid controversy

Guwahati, April 4: The Gauhati High Court has issued a press release addressing the spread of misinformation regarding the proposed relocation of the court and the establishment of a Judicial Township. The statement refutes claims made by certain members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association, who have alleged that decisions regarding the relocation were taken unilaterally without consultation.

The controversy stems from concerns raised by some members of the Bar Association, who have suggested that a clandestine decision was made to shift the High Court without transparency.

However, the High Court clarified that discussions regarding infrastructure expansion began in 2022 when a proposal was mooted to consolidate all courts into a single campus to enhance judicial efficiency.

In 2022, the Gauhati High Court Bar Association passed a resolution recommending the consolidation of courts into one campus.

Acting upon this, the Full Court of the Gauhati High Court, comprising the Chief Justice and other judges, resolved to explore options for a modern judicial infrastructure that would accommodate the growing number of judges, lawyers, and litigants. The decision aimed to streamline legal proceedings and provide state-of-the-art facilities under one roof.

Following this resolution, the High Court requested the Government of Assam to allot suitable land for the proposed Judicial Township. Consequently, on June 2, 2023, the government issued a notification to facilitate the process. A High-Level Committee was then formed through a notification dated June 15, 2023.

This committee included two judges of the Gauhati High Court, the Advocate General of Assam, the Chief Secretary, and other senior officials. The committee was tasked with identifying a feasible location for the proposed Judicial Township.

After evaluating multiple sites, the committee recommended a 128-bigha plot in Rangmahal, North Guwahati, due to its accessibility and proximity to the ongoing bridge construction over the Brahmaputra.

The report was presented to the Full Court on October 18, 2023, which subsequently requested the government to expedite the land acquisition process. However, the High Court stressed that no formal decision has been made regarding the timeline for shifting the High Court, as the land acquisition process is still ongoing.

The press release strongly refuted claims that the Chief Justice and a sitting judge secretly met with the Chief Minister to finalise the relocation plan. The High Court clarified that land acquisition for judicial infrastructure is an administrative function and does not require prior consultation with the Bar Association.

It asserted that several formal and informal meetings were held with the Bar Association to discuss the proposal, but no constructive suggestions were received, apart from resistance based on "irrelevant considerations."

Further, the statement addressed allegations concerning a meeting held on March 8, 2025, between the Chief Justice, Justice Suman Shyam, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

It clarified that the meeting was not related to the Judicial Township but focused on judicial officer appointments, funding for paperless courts, and the infrastructure of the Judicial Academy. The selection of the meeting venue, the State Guest House in Koinadhara, was based on logistical considerations, given the participation of multiple officials.

The High Court reaffirmed its commitment to modernising judicial infrastructure in Assam. It noted that the existing system, where courts are spread across different locations, creates logistical challenges for lawyers and litigants.

The proposed Judicial Township aims to address these issues by ensuring all courts, including the Gauhati High Court, District Judiciary, and tribunals, function from a single location.

While reiterating that the final decision rests with the Full Court, the statement stressed that the objective is to improve judicial accessibility and efficiency. It called for an end to misinformation campaigns that could erode public confidence in the judiciary and stressed that any further objections should be based on constructive discussions rather than baseless allegations.

As the land acquisition process continues, the High Court assured that all steps would be taken with due diligence to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders, including the legal fraternity and the public, are met.