Members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association began a three-day, six-hour hunger strike opposing the proposed relocation of the court complex. The new Gauhati High Court building is planned at Rangmahal, North Guwahati, with the foundation stone to be laid on January 11.
GAUHATI: Members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) have initiated a three day, six hour hunger strike in response to the government’s plans to relocate the court complex to North Guwahati.
A new Gauhati High Court complex is proposed as part of a judicial township at Rangmahal in North Guwahati, with Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, scheduled to lay the foundation stone on January 11.
Also Read: Gauhati HC Relocation| CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Resigns from Bar Association
The hunger strike, led by GHCBA president K.N. Choudhury, started at 10 am outside the old Gauhati High Court building, following a resolution made during an emergency Extra Ordinary General meeting held on Tuesday.
The Association stated,
“… as a peaceful and democratic expression of its considered stand, the Gauhati High Court Bar Association shall observe a peaceful hunger strike,”
Bar members will participate in the hunger strike on Friday and Sunday as well, and the GHCBA has also resolved to abstain from attending the foundation stone laying ceremony for the new high court complex.
The GHCBA declared,
“The General Body, after due deliberation, has reiterated and reaffirmed its consistent stand, as reflected in earlier resolutions and the referendum conducted by the Association, opposing the proposed shifting of the Principal Seat of the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court from its present location,”
The statement continued,
“The Association has decided to abstain from participating in the proposed foundation stone laying ceremony. All learned members of the Bar are earnestly appealed to and respectfully requested to kindly honour and adhere to the collective decision of the General Body,”
The GHCBA has been strongly opposing the proposed relocation of the high court complex from the center of Guwahati to the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.
The government’s plan includes constructing the new judicial township at Rangmahal, which will span 129 bighas over 42.5 acres.
In November of last year, the state cabinet approved an initial investment of Rs 479 crore for the first phase of the judicial township in North Guwahati. Earlier, the GHCBA had called for an immediate halt to the project for the sake of all stakeholders and the general public.
Currently, the Gauhati High Court is situated in the Uzan Bazar area of central Guwahati, on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. It features a historic building, alongside a modern multi storey structure inaugurated a few years ago.
Both buildings face each other across Mahatma Gandhi Road and are connected via an underground tunnel equipped with escalators.
The Assam government aims to develop the Brahmaputra riverfront, necessitating the acquisition of land from the high court.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
