A showdown is brewing between the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) and the Assam government over the relocation of the High Court complex from central Guwahati to the northern bank of the Brahmaputra river.
On Sunday, members of the GHCBA launched a symbolic four-hour strike to protest the foundation stone laying ceremony of the proposed new high court complex at Rangmahal in North Guwahati. The event is being officiated by Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant.
In a clear show of defiance, the Bar Association had also observed a four-hour hunger strike on Thursday and Friday in front of the current high court building in Uzan Bazar.
“We are completely against shifting the high court from its present location, which is the heart of the city,” said GHCBA vice president Santanu Borthakur. “None of our members will attend the function.”
The Bar Association has long opposed the relocation plan, alleging that the government made a unilateral decision without meaningful consultation with key stakeholders, including the legal fraternity.
“As it appears, the foundation stone will be laid today. After this, we are thinking of challenging this in court. Our executive committee will meet within the next few days and decide the future course of action,” Borthakur added.
The protest has triggered sharp reactions from the state’s top law officer. Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia on Saturday alleged that the agitation had “political motivations” and claimed there was a “nexus with political parties” behind the Bar’s resistance.
Meanwhile, the government is going ahead with its plan to build a state-of-the-art judicial township over nearly 49 acres (148 bighas) in Rangmahal. In November 2025, the Assam Cabinet sanctioned ₹479 crore for the project’s first phase.
The current Gauhati High Court is situated in the Uzan Bazar area on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. The heritage complex comprises the historic court building and a newly constructed multi-crore, multi-storey annex, inaugurated just a few years ago. Both structures are connected by an underground tunnel with escalator facilities.
The Bar Association has maintained that the existing premises are more than adequate, especially after recent upgrades. It fears that moving to a distant location will inconvenience lawyers, litigants, and the public at large.
Moreover, critics of the move believe the relocation is linked to the government’s plans to develop the Guwahati riverfront. A new convention centre is already being built next to the high court campus, and the legal fraternity suspects the land housing the court is being eyed for commercial redevelopment.
While the foundation stone is being laid amid controversy, the legal fraternity’s resistance signals that the issue is far from settled. The GHCBA’s executive body is likely to move court to stall the project, setting the stage for a legal battle over the future of one of the Northeast’s most historic judicial institutions.
