A senior advocate from Silchar has petitioned top constitutional authorities, seeking the establishment of either a Circuit Bench or a Permanent Bench of the Gauhati High Court in the Barak Valley to improve access to justice for residents of the region.
Sources said the seven-page memorandum was sent by post on January 12 by senior advocate Dharmananda Deb. The petition was addressed to the Chief Minister of Assam, the Union Minister for Law and Justice, the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, the Governor of Assam, and the Cabinet Minister of the Barak Valley Development Department.
In the memorandum, Deb highlighted that the principal seat of the Gauhati High Court in Guwahati is located nearly 350 kilometres from the Barak Valley, creating significant hardship for litigants. He pointed out that during the monsoon season, frequent floods and landslides often disrupt road and rail connectivity, making travel to Guwahati particularly difficult for elderly, sick, poor, and marginalised individuals.
The petition noted that the distance and communication challenges discourage many residents from filing writ petitions, public interest litigations (PILs), or seeking urgent constitutional remedies. This, it said, adversely affects citizens’ constitutional right to justice guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21.
Deb also recalled that similar proposals were rejected by the Gauhati High Court administration in 2014 and 2015. However, he emphasised that more than a decade has passed since then, during which the Barak Valley has experienced population growth along with a significant increase in the number and complexity of legal cases.
The memorandum further referred to administrative developments such as the establishment of a Mini Secretariat and the creation of the Barak Valley Development Department, reflecting greater decentralisation. Despite these initiatives, it stated, distance from Guwahati and inadequate connectivity continue to pose major obstacles to accessing justice.
The advocate argued that setting up a Circuit Bench or a Permanent Bench in the Barak Valley would ease the burden on litigants, enable faster disposal of cases, and reduce pressure on the principal bench in Guwahati. Such a move, he added, would also strengthen the implementation of Article 39A of the Constitution, which ensures equal access to justice.
