Court relocation row: CM quits bar association; proposes museum at current site

Guwahati, Apr 30: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, resigned from the Gauhati High Court Bar Association, citing conflict of interest.

The resignation comes following the association’s opposition to the proposed relocation of the High Court to a judicial township at Rangmahal, North Guwahati—a project approved by the Gauhati High Court and strongly backed by the state government.

“I have to establish the new High Court building, but the Bar Association is opposing it. I don’t agree with their demands, and as a Chief Minister, it is my job to do the given work. We should not work where there is a conflict of interest,” Sarma said, during a press meet on Wednesday.

Defending the relocation, Sarma stressed the urgent need for modern infrastructure, noting the existing High Court’s severe space limitations and outdated facilities.

He clarified that the choice of site was made by a high-powered committee, not influenced by political motives, and pointed out that Rangmahal lies outside his electoral constituency.

In the resignation letter, Sarma noted, “The present High Court buildings, located in the heart of the city, have absolutely no scope for any further expansion. Parking facilities for advocates, litigants and members of the registry are grossly inadequate, and there is no scope for expanding the existing parking areas.”

He also proposed converting the current High Court building into a museum to preserve its legacy.

“It can be very well assured that the government, in consultation with Gauhati High Court, may convert it to a full-fledged judicial museum. It is pertinent to mention that the existing Chief Justice’s bungalow has already been declared a heritage building,” Sarma mentioned in the letter.

In 2022, the Gauhati High Court Bar Association had 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.

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.

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.