Kamal Ghorui
Silchar: The demand for a permanent bench of the Gauhati high court in the Barak Valley gathered fresh momentum on Tuesday after the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Vidhi Prakoshtha (legal cell) submitted a memorandum to the chief justice, flagging “acute hardship” faced by litigants from the region.The memorandum underlined that residents of Cachar, Sribhumi, Hailakandi and adjoining Dima Hasao are compelled to travel over 300 km to Guwahati for legal proceedings, imposing heavy financial strain and causing delays in justice delivery. It added that the situation disproportionately affects economically weaker sections, women and senior citizens.Calling access to justice a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the VHP argued that the absence of a local bench effectively limits citizens’ ability to seek timely legal remedies.The memorandum referred to States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, which empower authorities to establish high Court benches where necessary. It maintained that the Barak Valley contributes a significant volume of cases, warranting decentralisation of judicial functions.The legal cell also stressed that virtual hearings cannot replace the need for a physical bench, arguing that in-person proceedings ensure better legal assistance and efficiency. It pointed to the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of the Calcutta high court as an example of successful decentralisation.The representation, signed by Dilip Kumar Das, coordinator of VHP’s Dakshin Assam Prant legal cell, comes amid a series of similar appeals by civil society groups in the valley. Stakeholders are now looking to the chief justice for a favourable recommendation to bridge the judicial gap between the Barak Valley and Guwahati.
