Barak Valley groups push for permanent high court bench before Nov 11

Guwahati, November 7 – A coalition of lawyers, students, cultural activists and socio-economic organisations gathered in Silchar on Saturday to demand a permanent Gauhati High Court bench for the Barak Valley. The demonstration, organised by the High Court Bench Demand Implementation Committee, took place at the foot of the Shaheed Khudiram Bose statue and was described by The Sentinel Assam as peaceful but extensive.

Rally and memorandum submission

After the initial gathering, participants marched toward the district administration headquarters. According to the report, the committee handed a fresh memorandum to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court through Cachar District Commissioner Rahul Kumar Gupta. The document, addressed to the chief justice, reiterates the call for decentralising the judiciary to provide "accessible, affordable, and swift justice" for the southern region of Assam.

Statements from committee leaders

Advocate Dhruba Kumar Saha, identified as the Cachar District President of the committee, told the media that the campaign has entered its most decisive phase. He noted that over the past seven months the administrative proposal has moved from the state’s Chief Secretary to the Law Department, which has now forwarded it to the High Court for consideration. Saha said, "This grueling journey is regularly worsened by monsoons, flash floods, and collapsing infrastructure, creating an insurmountable economic and physical barrier to justice." He added that the current situation denies marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities their legal rights under Articles 14, 21 and 39A of the Constitution.

Geographic and logistical concerns

The memorandum highlights the geographic disparity faced by residents of the Barak Valley – comprising Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi districts and the hill district of Dima Hasao. Litigants are required to travel between 350 to 400 kilometres over landslide-prone terrain to reach the principal seat of the High Court in Guwahati. Protesters questioned why the valley remains without a bench while similar outposted benches exist in neighbouring regions to ease regional legal loads.

Upcoming administrative review

A vital Administrative Committee meeting is scheduled for November 11, and the coalition is applying pressure to secure formal judicial clearance. The Sentinel Assam reported that approval during the November 11 session would enable the Assam state government to proceed with budgetary allocations and infrastructure construction, addressing a public grievance that dates back to 1972. The outcome of the meeting is expected to determine the next steps for establishing a permanent high court bench in the Barak Valley.