State Information Commissioner Entitled To Same Salary, Allowances & Post-Retiral Benefits As Chief Secretary : Gauhati HC

A Division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury held that the State Information Commissioner is entitled to the same salaries, allowances, and post-retiral benefits as the Chief Secretary of the State. Further that these benefits cannot be denied on the ground of not having 10 years of qualifying service, if the individual...

Assam Govt Defends Allotment Of 3000 Bighas Of Tribal Land To Private Company, Says It Was Done After Following Due Process

In relation to the Assam Government granting 3000 bighas of land to Mahabal Cements for mining in the Dima Hasao region, the Assam Government, on Wednesday, informed the Gauhati High Court that the process adopted for allotment of land was done by following due process of law and the aspect of clearance by the Ministry of Environment, Government of India would come at a later stage.Earlier,...

Assam Minorities Board Employees, Salary Paid Through Grants-In-Aid & Not from State Salary Head, Can't Be Treated As Government Servants: Gauhati HC

A Division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Manish Choudhury held that employees of the Assam Minorities Development Board, whose salaries are paid from grants-in-aid and not from the regular State salary head, cannot be treated as government servants and are not entitled to pension under Rule 31 of the Assam Services...

State Can't Arbitrarily Classify Pensioners Of Homogenous Class Based On Cut-Off Dates For Granting Revised Pension Benefits : Gauhati HC

A Division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury held that the classification among pensioners based on the date of retirement, when all retirees form a homogenous class and the pay revision is made effective from a particular date, is arbitrary and unreasonable. Further financial constraints cannot justify such...

'3000 Bighas Of Land Given To A Private Company! Is This A Joke?': Gauhati HC Takes Exception To Allotment Of Tribal Land To Cement Company

The Gauhati High Court has expressed its reservation over the grant of around 3000 bighas of land to a private cement company (Mahabal Cements) for the purpose of mining in the state of Assam, in the Dima Hasao region.Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi orally remarked, "3000 bighas! The entire district? What is going on? 3000 bighas allotted to a private company? We know how barren the land...

Journalist Raising Concerns About Illegal Migrants, Religious Fundamentalism Alone Doesn't Attract Offence Of Promoting Enmity: Gauhati HC

The Gauhati High Court recently observed that a journalist raising concerns about illegal migrants, religious fundamentalism, militant activities, and demographic threats to the indigenous people cannot, by itself, be construed as an attempt to create enmity between groups or to incite violence. Stressing that the core duty of journalism is to raise burning issues, which matter...

Merely Attaching Tax Determination Statement To DRC-01 Summary Cannot Be Treated As A Valid SCN: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court held that merely attaching tax determination statement to Drc-01 summary cannot be treated as a valid show cause notice. Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi stated that “…….a formal and duly authenticated SCN is mandatorily required to initiate proceedings under Section 73. The Statement of tax determination under Section 73(3), which is attached to the summary...

'Accused Didn't Comply With Fundamental Duties U/Art 51A': Gauhati High Court Denies Bail In FIR Over Alleged FB Post Backing Pakistan

The Gauhati High Court on Monday denied bail to a man accused of posting content on Facebook in support of Pakistani citizens and the President of Turkey, as it noted that the accused had not 'complied' with the fundamental duties enshrined under Article 51A of the Constitution of India. "On a plain reading of the Facebook message, it is clear that at this juncture,...

Gauhati High Court Grants Bail To Man Accused Of Posting FB Threat To Kill CM Himanta Sarma If Anything Happens To Pakistan

The Gauhati High Court recently granted bail to a man accused of posting objectionable content on Facebook, including an alleged 'open challenge' to kill Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma if anything happened to Pakistan. A bench of Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita passed the order in a bail application moved by one Rashid Sikdar, who had been in custody for 57 days in connection...

Justice Ashutosh Kumar Takes Oath As Chief Justice Of Gauhati High Court

Justice Ashutosh Kumar on Monday was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. The oath was administered to Justice Kumar by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.Justice Ashutosh Kumar was born on 1st October 1966. He completed his schooling at St. Michael's High School, Patna, and went on to graduate from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University. He obtained his LL.B. from the...

Gauhati High Court Grants Bail To Man Accused Of Posting 'I Love Pakistan' On Social Media After Pahalgam Terror Attack

The Gauhati High Court on Thursday granted bail to one Najibul Islam, who was arrested for allegedly posting 'I love Pakistan' on Instagram following the Pahalgam terror attack. A bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana noted that the petitioner had been in custody since May 1, 2025, and had completed approximately 70 days of incarceration and that his further custodial interrogation was...

In-Charge Headmaster Should Be Appointed Based On Seniority-Cum-Efficiency : Gauhati HC

The Gauhati High Court bench comprising Justice Robin Phukan held that in case of two candidates joining service on the same date, seniority must be determined based on age, with the elder candidate being treated as senior. Additionally, appointment to the post of Headmaster must be made on the basis of seniority-cum-efficiency. Background Facts The petitioner was appointed...