Why A Proposed Shift Of The Gauhati High Court Has Sparked A Hunger Strike By Lawyers

Opposition to the Assam government’s decision to shift the Gauhati High Court from Uzanbazar to Rangmahal in North Guwahati intensified as members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association began a three-day hunger strike. The protest comes amid widespread dissent within the legal fraternity, with the bar association describing the fast as a peaceful and democratic expression against the proposed relocation of the High Court complex across the Brahmaputra River. The hunger strike is being observed for six hours a day on January 8, 9, and 11.Leading the protest are GHCBA president Kamal Nayan Choudhury and secretary general Girin Pegu, along with senior advocates Khayam Uddin Ahmed, Anzita Saikia, and Zubair Ahmed, among others. The decision to protest follows

a resolution adopted at an emergent extraordinary general meeting of the GHCBA on January 6, where members also resolved to abstain from attending the foundation stone laying ceremony of the proposed judicial township at Rangmahal scheduled for January 11. The ceremony is to be attended by the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant.Bar association members have strongly criticised the government for proceeding with the relocation plan despite an internal referendum that overwhelmingly rejected the move. While only 154 lawyers voted in favour of shifting the High Court, a significant 1164 members voted against it.The proposed judicial township is planned over nearly 43 acres of land in North Guwahati. In November 2025 the Assam Cabinet approved 479 crore rupees for the first phase of the project. According to the government, the relocation is part of a broader plan to develop the Brahmaputra riverfront, which would require the existing High Court land.Also Read: Opposition Alleges ‘Vote Chori’ in Assam, Files FIR Against BJP Over Electoral Roll Revision

Currently the Gauhati High Court functions from two buildings located opposite each other on Mahatma Gandhi Road in the heart of Guwahati, connected by an underground tunnel with escalators. Lawyers argue that the existing infrastructure is fully developed and functional, leaving no justification for shifting the court. Several women advocates also voiced serious concerns over the proposed move. They said relocating the High Court far from the city centre would create major difficulties for working women lawyers who must balance professional responsibilities with family and childcare. They pointed out that commuting to North Guwahati would pose challenges in terms of time, safety, and transportation, especially when managing school-going children and household duties. Right now there are no problems at the existing High Court complex. "The infrastructure is already developed, so why shift it to a new location?" one advocate said. "If there were genuine issues here, the move might be understandable. But without any such problems, shifting the High Court to Rangmahal raises serious questions, and we will not allow this to happen."The GHCBA has demanded an immediate halt to the Rangmahal project, maintaining that shifting the High Court would severely inconvenience lawyers, litigants, and court staff alike. The association has made it clear that it will continue its protest until the government reconsiders its decision.