Gauhati High Court Adjourns Hearing in Writ Petition Filed by 304 Individuals Against Union and State Governments - 2025-08-19

Gauhati High Court Postpones Hearing in Plea by Over 300 Petitioners

GUWAHATI – The Gauhati High Court has adjourned the hearing in a significant writ petition filed by 304 individuals against the Union of India and the State of Assam. The bench, presided over by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Soumitra Saikia, deferred the proceedings to August 21, 2025, following a request from the counsel representing the respondent government bodies.

Case Overview

The case, titled Jitumani Das and 303 Ors vs. Union of India and 3 Ors. [WP(C) 7147 / 2023] , involves a large collective of petitioners from various districts across Assam. They have moved the High Court seeking legal remedy against actions or policies involving several key government departments.

The respondents in this matter include high-level authorities such as the Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs; the Chief Secretary of Assam; the Secretary to the Government of Assam, Political (B) Department; and the Accountant General (A&E), Assam. The extensive list of petitioners and the seniority of the respondents underscore the potential significance of the issues raised in the petition.

Court Proceedings

During the scheduled hearing, the counsel for the respondents requested an adjournment. Granting the request, Justice Saikia passed a brief procedural order stating: "At the request made by learned counsel for the respondents, the matter be listed again on 21.08.2025."

The order does not delve into the merits or the specific grievances of the petitioners, as the hearing was purely procedural. The petition was filed in 2023, and the adjournment moves the next substantive hearing to a future date.

Parties and Counsel

• Petitioners: Represented by Advocate Mr. B. Chakraborty and Advocate Mrs. P. Hazarika.
• Respondents: Represented by the Deputy Solicitor General of India (Dy.S.G.I.) and counsels Mrs. A. Gayan, C.G.C., along with the Standing Counsel for the Accountant General and the Government Advocate for Assam.

Implications of the Adjournment

The adjournment means that the petitioners must wait longer for their case to be heard on its merits. For now, the matter remains pending before the court, with all parties instructed to appear on the next scheduled date. The substantive legal questions raised by the 304 petitioners against the central and state governments are yet to be argued and decided.