Gauhati HC Puts Uriamghat Eviction on Hold, Next Hearing on August 14

The Gauhati High Court has ordered a temporary stay on the eviction drive in Golaghat district’s Uriamghat until August 14. The direction came from the Division Bench led by the Chief Justice during a hearing on petitions filed in the matter on Tuesday.

The petitioners have raised concerns regarding the status of the land in Uriamghat, arguing that it has not been clearly demarcated as either forest land or revenue land. They further submitted that the area in question has been inhabited for years and that the government itself had implemented various welfare schemes there. This includes the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), provision of electricity connections, and extension of other government benefits to the residents. 

Taking note of the submissions, the High Court has directed the government to submit a detailed affidavit by August 14, clarifying the legal status of the land and actions taken. The court also instructed the petitioners to furnish all relevant documents in their possession to support their claims, particularly regarding land allotment and proof of residence.

It may be mentioned that, last Tuesday, the high court granted temporary relief to the petitioners in the Uriamghat eviction case by extending the deadline for compliance with the eviction notice until August 7, 2025.

Speaking on the issue, advocate AR Bhuyan said, “A hearing was held today before the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court on complaints filed by around 75 petitioners regarding the eviction in Uriamghat. The final date given to the affected residents to vacate the land was August 7. We challenged this order in the Division Bench on the grounds that due legal procedure was not followed during the eviction process. Notably, the area in question has not yet been officially demarcated as either forest land or revenue land. Hence, carrying out evictions without proper demarcation is legally untenable.”

“The eviction notice mentioned a seven-day deadline for residents to vacate the land, but no opportunity was given to present our side or provide evidence that the land is not forest land. We have now submitted the entire case to the Honourable High Court, along with supporting documents. The Division Bench has fixed August 14 as the next date of hearing. The court has also directed that the details of the case be submitted in the form of a chargesheet. Additionally, the petitioners have been asked to furnish any proof they have to establish that the government had allotted them the land,” he added.

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