Guwahati: Advocate General of Assam, Debajit Saikia, has resigned from the membership of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) following differences over the proposed relocation of the High Court premises to North Guwahati.
Saikia submitted his resignation letter to Bar Association President Kamal Nayan Chaudhary on Thursday.
His resignation comes against the backdrop of strong opposition from the GHCBA to the shifting of the existing High Court premises.
In his letter, Saikia stated that his role as Advocate General obliges him to align with the state government’s policy favouring the transfer of the Guwahati High Court from its current location in the heart of Guwahati to a proposed new site in Rangmahal, North Guwahati.
He emphasized that the move aimed to provide a better and more conducive environment for the legal fraternity, including lawyers, judges, litigants, and other stakeholders.
“Personally also, I, without any hesitation, support the decision and process to shift the present High Court premise to the proposed new location, which is not only the call of the hour due to various deficiencies and shortfalls in the existing infrastructure but also will provide a much better working ambience to the new generation and upcoming lawyers while mitigating all existing deficiencies,” Saikia wrote in his letter.
Arguing that the move would alleviate traffic congestion, provide modern infrastructure, and enhance judicial efficiency, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government has been pushing this initiative since 2023.
The plan, however, has met with stiff resistance from the legal fraternity, including the Gauhati High Court Bar Association, which contends that relocating the court would disrupt access to justice, inconvenience lawyers and litigants, and sever the court’s historical ties to the city.
The association has organized demonstrations and voiced strong opposition to the plan.
“As Advocate General, I am obliged to be in favour of the government’s policy on the transfer of the Guwahati High Court,” Saikia wrote.
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Saikia, a senior advocate with over three decades of legal practice, was appointed Advocate General of Assam in 2021.
