HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 1: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Vijay Bishnoi inaugurated the court building of the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (M) at Lakhipur in Cachar district on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Sarma said that the inauguration of the court building will not only enhance the efficiency of the judiciary in Lakhipur and Cachar district but will also have a positive impact on fulfilling the aspirations of the people across Barak Valley. He also noted that with Lakhipur now recognised as a co-district, this new judicial building is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of the judiciary in the region.
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The chief minister remarked that before independence, the judicial administration of Cachar district, the heart of the Barak Valley, was under the Sylhet Sadar Court, with a circuit court operating in Silchar. However, after independence, the undivided Cachar district came under the jurisdiction of the Jorhat district and the Sadar Judge. To address the legal needs of the district and expand its judicial framework, a separate and independent post of District Judge for Cachar was created in 1955, CM Sarma added.
The chief minister further said that to strengthen the state’s judicial system, the present state government has undertaken several significant initiatives. He mentioned that, as a result of these efforts, the judicial infrastructure in the state has seen remarkable progress in recent years. Highlighting these proactive steps, the chief minister said that the present state government has built and inaugurated new District Judicial Court buildings in Barpeta and Sivasagar districts. Similarly, on November 23, the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate Court building in Bokakhat, under Golaghat district, was also inaugurated.
He added that these new court buildings, in addition to housing courtrooms and chambers for judges, are equipped with modern facilities such as libraries, video conferencing rooms, various office spaces, a Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre, meditation rooms, and CCTV control rooms, among other advanced amenities.
Moreover, the construction of court complexes and residential quarters in Dhubri, Goalpara, Tinsukia, and Gohpur is progressing at a fast pace. The construction work of the court complexes in Goalpara and Darrang districts is almost complete. Soon, the court complex being built in Diphu, Karbi Anglong, will also be inaugurated. Additionally, district judicial systems have been established in the newly formed districts of South Salmara-Mankachar, Bajali, Biswanath, Majuli, and West Karbi Anglong.
Chief minister Sarma said that the present state government is taking all steps to turn Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Ease of Justice’ into reality. In order to bring the judiciary closer to the common people, the state government has taken several steps to make justice more accessible. He stated that to protect children from sexual abuse and ensure swift resolution of cases related to child marriage, POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) courts have been established in 17 districts. He also said that two such courts have been established in Nagaon district.
With the state’s economic development, the number of commercial disputes has increased. Therefore, a plan has been made to establish a dedicated Commercial Court in Guwahati. Similarly, a specialised NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) court is also being planned. Efforts are underway to establish a Directorate of Prosecution in the state, which will function as the controlling authority for all administrative tasks related to prosecution.
CM Sarma also said that to reduce the number of pending cases in courts and decrease the number of prisoners, the state government has implemented measures to withdraw petty cases. Under this initiative, nearly 81,000 petty cases were withdrawn by March of this year. The chief minister further said that to ensure a safe environment for witnesses, safe deposition centers have been established, and several of these centers are already operational.
Highlighting various initiatives taken by the state government, CM Sarma said that E-service centers and the mobile app ‘Borsha’ have been launched to provide affordable legal information and emergency assistance to distressed women. He emphasised that the legal fraternity has a responsibility to not weaponise loopholes in delaying trials in cases involving crimes against women and children.
The chief minister also said that under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah, India has ushered in a revolutionary transformation in its legal framework by replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). This new legal framework has facilitated a more efficient and technology-driven judicial process, making justice delivery smoother and reducing the burden of excessive cases on the judicial system.
CM Sarma added that the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam has now placed special emphasis on the use of scientific methods for the collection of evidence. As a result, in the coming days, the role of forensic experts in the investigation process will significantly increase. To aid this, the construction of the National Forensic Science University campus in Guwahati has already begun. CM Sarma said the university will provide advanced training opportunities to investigating officers, enhancing the scientific approach to criminal investigations. Additionally, special attention is being given to the training of police officers on the new criminal laws and the appropriate use of information technology in law enforcement and investigations.
It may be noted that the new judicial magistrate court building has been constructed at a financial outlay of Rs 37.8 crores. Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Vijay Bishnoi, Justice Suman Shyam, Justice Kalyan Rai Surana, MLAs Kaushik Rai, Dipyan Chakraborty, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Bijoy Malakar, Krishnendu Paul, Nihar Rangjan Das, and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
