CJI lays foundation for new court complex amidst lawyers’ protest
Guwahati: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday laid the foundation for an Integrated Judicial Court Complex in Assam’s Kamrup district amid protests by the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) against the move to shift the High Court.
CJI Kant expressed ‘surprise’ at the opposition, maintaining that ‘personal vested interests should not be valid grounds’ for resisting development.
The GHCBA has been opposing the relocation of the high court to Rangmahal in North Guwahati from the heart of Guwahati city, citing concerns over accessibility, infrastructure and the lack of stakeholder consultation. The CJI, in his speech, said the Integrated Judicial Court Complex has been envisaged to match the aspirations of the future. As the head of the country’s judiciary, Justice Kant stressed that he is bound to cater to the needs of those coming into the profession.
The CJI said that he was surprised when he learnt that the GHCBA is opposing the new integrated court complex, which will also house the Gauhati High Court. The Gauhati High Court serves as the high court for the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. “Those opposing the new court complex are either ill-informed or not realising the needs of new members of the bar. Personal vested interests should not be valid grounds for opposing development of infrastructure for the future,” the CJI added. CJI Kant said the site for the new complex is ‘strategically positioned’ and will provide all facilities under one roof. Mentioning that a large number of pending cases before courts in the country, he maintained that efficiency of infrastructure alone will not solve this problem. He pitched for mediation and structural dialogue, not as a compromise but as an effective way for dispute resolution rather than going for confrontational litigation.
Supreme Court judge, Justice Sandeep Mehta, during whose term as the head of the Gauhati HC the decision to relocate was taken, expressed disappointment over some of the lawyers not participating in the programmme. Justice Mehta, in his speech, asserted that the new complex will benefit the younger members and enable them to function with dedicated facilities. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, another judge of he apex court, said that while some lawyers may have apprehensions, but nothing which is ‘slightest detrimental’ to their interests will be done. “Judiciary needs space, literally and metaphorically. Let us join hands for the new infrastructure,” he added.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma maintained that the opposition citing travel time will not hold good once the new bridge over the Brahmaputra river is inaugurated next month.
“A section of lawyers is opposing the new complex. In a democracy, a government should respect all opposition. But, their main contention that it will take two hours to reach the new site will not hold ground after the Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge over the Brahmaputra is inaugurated by the Prime Minister in February,” he said.
