Guwahati: The protest by the Guwahati Lawyers’ Association against the Assam Government’s decision to temporarily shift the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M) Court, entered its second day on Tuesday.
The association, which is part of the All Assam Lawyers’ Association, continued its agitation, accusing the government of deciding without consulting legal representatives. The government has proposed shifting the CJM Court to the General Administration Department (GAD) building in the city on administrative grounds.
Moreover, the association had submitted a memorandum to the government on November 7 strongly opposing the plan and urging a review of the decision by the authorities.
Tuesday’s protest saw a complete boycott of court work as the members of the GLA held placards and raised slogans, saying that not a single lawyer had taken the decision to abstain from court work lightly. However, this was the only avenue open after their repeated pleas went unheard. “We understand this may cause inconvenience to the public, but we had no other choice. The government must withdraw its decision,” said a representative of the association.
Subsequently, a rally took place on Monday where lawyers had marched from the old CJM Court premises, demanding transparency and dialogue over any relocation decision. The association has made it clear that protests will continue until the government reverses the order.
While the Assam Government has taken its stand by informing the court that the shifting is only temporary and to carry on the renovation and modernisation work, lawyers remain adamant that such a move cannot be done without consulting the concerned stakeholders. The standoff continues to underscore growing tension between the legal community and the state government over administrative decisions affecting the functioning of the judiciary in Guwahati.