Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court Bar Association on Sunday launched a protest against the proposed relocation of the high court complex, announcing a boycott of the foundation stone–laying ceremony for the new building to be attended by the Chief Justice of India.
The new Gauhati High Court complex is proposed to be built as part of a judicial township at Rangmahal in North Guwahati, where Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant is scheduled to lay the foundation stone later in the day.
As part of the protest, members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) staged a four-hour hunger strike from 10 am to 2 pm in front of the old high court building at Uzan Bazar.
The association has also decided that none of its members will attend the official function.
“We are completely opposed to shifting the high court from its present location in the heart of the city. The government has taken a unilateral decision and is now proceeding with the project,” GHCBA vice-president Santanu Borthakur said.
He said the association has been opposing the relocation from the outset and is considering legal options.
“If the foundation stone is laid, we will examine the matter and decide our future course of action after an executive committee meeting,” Borthakur added.
The GHCBA has consistently opposed shifting the high court to the northern bank of the Brahmaputra from its current location in central Guwahati.
Meanwhile, Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia criticised the protest on Saturday, alleging that the bar association’s agitation had a “nexus with political parties”.
The Assam government plans to develop a judicial township at Rangmahal over 148 bighas, or nearly 49 acres, of land.
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In November last year, the state cabinet approved an allocation of Rs 479 crore for the first phase of construction.
The Gauhati High Court is currently housed at Uzan Bazar on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra.
The complex comprises a heritage structure and a modern multi-storey building inaugurated a few years ago.
The two buildings face each other across Mahatma Gandhi Road and are connected by an underground tunnel with escalator facilities.
The state government has cited plans to develop the Brahmaputra riverfront as a key reason for relocating the high court, with a new convention centre also coming up adjacent to the existing court complex.
