STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Court proceedings across Guwahati came to a standstill on Tuesday as members of the Lawyers Association, Guwahati, observed a day-long boycott in protest against the relocation of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Kamrup (M), to the General Administration Department (GAD) building.
Lawyers from the Sessions Court, CJM Court, and CBI Court joined the boycott, resulting in a complete shutdown of proceedings for the entire day.
The protest followed a rally held on Monday, during which lawyers, advocate clerks, and vendors marched through the city. Participants voiced strong opposition to what they described as an arbitrary decision to shift the court without consulting members of the legal fraternity.
Apurba Kumar Sarma, General Secretary of the Lawyers Association, Guwahati, criticized the government's move as unnecessary and poorly planned. He stated that the GAD building, which had previously served as a duck shed, was unsuitable for judicial activities.
"The authorities claim that the old court building is unsafe and prone to collapse, yet even a recent 5.8-magnitude earthquake failed to cause any damage. This appears to be a deliberate attempt to relocate the court under false pretences," Sarma said.
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