Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court pulled up the state government and PWD officers for being unable to show that any work was done regarding the inadequate infrastructure facilities in Foreigner Tribunals (FTs), issuing a direction that an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam as well as the Chief Engineer, PWD (Building), or his representative should be present through video conferencing on the next date of listing of the case.
The court also directed the Home & Political Department to prepare a list of pending cases in the FTs, providing details of their institution, disposal of cases until December 31, 2024, and those filed and disposed of between January 1, 2025, and October 31, 2025.
Justice Kalyan Rai Surana issued several directions to the government officials while hearing a case (WP(C)/1754/2015) regarding the lack of adequate facilities and pending cases in FTs in the state. The judge observed that an instruction dated November 3, 2025, produced by the Additional Advocate General does not show any work done in respect of the infrastructure status of the various Tribunals, but reflected that the instructions/reply of the PWD are awaited. This led the court to issue a direction that the PWD, represented by an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, as well as the Chief Engineer, PWD (Building), or his delegates, be present through video conferencing on the next date of listing.
In the meanwhile, the court directed the Secretary of the Home & Political Department, as well as the Chief Engineer of the PWD, to consult each other regarding the infrastructure requirements of the various FTs and to come up with a proposal to meet such requirements.
Taking a stern stance, the court stated that if no response from the PWD is received by the Home & Political Department by the next date, the Chief Engineer, PWD, has to disclose the name and designation of PWD officials ‘who are in default in providing instructions’.
The court also put the state government on notice that in the event of there being any requirement of the Finance Department, the court may also consider impleading the Finance Department so that the infrastructure-related issues can be appropriately addressed.
As for the issue of pending FT cases, taken up earlier on September 2, 2025, it was deemed fit by the court that the Home & Political Department be asked to prepare a Tribunal-wise case pendency list, indicating (i) the year of institution, (ii) cases disposed of as of December 31, 2024, (iii) cases that have been filed/registered after January 1, 2025, till October 31, 2025, and (iv) disposal of cases between January 1, 2025, and October 31, 2025.
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