Lawyers to boycott CJM Court today
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Members of the Lawyers Association, Guwahati, on Monday staged a protest march in the city opposing the temporary relocation of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Kamrup (M) Court to the General Administration Department (GAD) building.
The protestors, including lawyers, advocate clerk, and vendors, began their march from the old CJM Court premises, moving 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, Guwahati, stated that the decision to shift the CJM Court was made without consultation with the legal fraternity. He criticized the move, claiming that the GAD building, previously used as a duck shed, was unsuitable for court proceedings. “The government says the old building is unsafe and may collapse, but even the recent 5.8 magnitude earthquake could not damage it. This appears to be a deliberate attempt to relocate the court,” Sarma remarked. The association also declared a court boycott for Tuesday, November 11, as a mark of protest against what they described as an “arbitrary” decision by the authorities.
In their appeal, the association demanded that the existing CJM Court building be repaired and renovated, that all subordinate courts be relocated back to the old complex, and that a commission be formed to assess the structural condition of the current CJM building. They further urged that any permanent relocation of courts or tribunals be carried out only after consultation with the Advocate Community and Bar Association.
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