Gauhati High Court Halts Uriamghat Eviction Drive Till August 14, Seeks Land Status Clarification

The Gauhati High Court has granted a temporary stay on the eviction drive in Uriamghat, a locality in Assam’s Golaghat district, halting all eviction-related activities until August 14. This decision was taken by a Division Bench led by the Chief Justice during a hearing held on Tuesday, following multiple petitions filed by local residents challenging the eviction process.

Around 75 residents of Uriamghat had approached the High Court, raising serious concerns over the legality of the eviction notice served to them. Their core argument is that the land in question has not been officially classified as either forest land or revenue land by the state government. The petitioners claimed that they have been residing in the area for several years and that various government schemes and benefits, such as homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), electricity supply, and other civic amenities, have been extended to them—implying recognition of their settlement by the government itself.

Taking these concerns into account, the High Court issued a directive to the Assam government to file a comprehensive affidavit by August 14. This affidavit must provide a clear legal classification of the disputed land and outline all administrative actions taken in connection with it. At the same time, the court instructed the petitioners to submit all necessary supporting documents that prove their claims to land allotment, residence, and entitlement to government welfare schemes.

The legal discourse around the eviction gained traction earlier when the High Court had extended the deadline for compliance with the original eviction notice to August 7, 2025. This earlier ruling had already provided some temporary relief to the affected residents, but the latest stay order goes a step further in pausing the eviction operation entirely until the next scheduled hearing.

Advocate A.R. Bhuyan, who is representing the petitioners, spoke to the media after the court proceedings. He stated that the main contention is the absence of proper land demarcation, making any eviction legally indefensible. He further noted that the eviction notice gave only a seven-day period for residents to vacate their homes and did not provide them with a proper opportunity to present their side of the story. In response, all relevant documentation has now been submitted to the court.

According to Bhuyan, the Division Bench has not only fixed the next hearing date for August 14 but also directed both parties to submit all necessary information in the form of a chargesheet. This includes evidence of any government-issued land allotment certificates or proof of long-term residence.

The court’s interim relief has come as a significant reprieve for the people of Uriamghat, many of whom feared imminent displacement. With the next hearing scheduled for August 14, both the petitioners and the state government now have the responsibility to provide complete and clear documentation to support their respective claims.

The outcome of this case is likely to have broader implications for similar land-related disputes in Assam, especially in areas where land classification and ownership rights remain ambiguous or under contention.