Lawyers Protest CJM Court Shift, Announce Boycott on Nov 11

Members of the Lawyers Association, Guwahati, held a protest march opposing the temporary relocation of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Kamrup (M) Court to the General Administration Department (GAD) building.

The demonstrators — comprising lawyers, advocate clerks, and court vendors — began their march from the old CJM Court premises, passing through Cotton University, the Sessions Court, and the Gauhati High Court before returning to the CJM campus.

Apurba Kumar Sarma, general secretary of the Lawyers Association, said the decision to shift the CJM Court was taken unilaterally, without consulting the legal fraternity.

He slammed the move, pointing out that the GAD building, once used as a duck shed, was completely unfit for judicial work.

“The government claims the existing building is unsafe and at risk of collapse, but even the recent 5.8-magnitude earthquake caused no damage. This seems like a deliberate attempt to move the court elsewhere,” Sarma stated.

The association also announced a court boycott on Tuesday, to protest what they termed an “arbitrary” and “ill-considered” government decision.

In their memorandum, the lawyers demanded immediate renovation of the current CJM Court building, reinstatement of all subordinate courts within the old complex, and the formation of a commission to assess the structure’s safety.

They further insisted that any future relocation of courts or tribunals should only be undertaken in consultation with the Advocate Community and the Bar Association.

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