Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has ordered a temporary halt to the ongoing eviction drive in Uriamghat, located in Assam’s Golaghat district, providing interim relief to 75 families facing demolition.
The stay, issued on August 5, remains in effect until August 14 and directs the Assam government to submit a detailed affidavit on the legal status of the land in question.
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The court’s interim order came in response to a petition filed by affected families, who argued that the land they occupy has not been officially declared as forest or revenue land.
According to the petitioners, many of them have lived in Uriamghat for decades and have been recipients of government schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), electricity connections, and other civic amenities. They contended that their homes cannot be classified as encroachments.
The petitioners also stated that the eviction notice served to them provided only seven days’ notice, denying them adequate time to present legal documents to establish their residential claims.
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Taking note of these concerns, a Division Bench led by the Chief Justice has asked the Assam government to clarify the legal classification of the land and to provide a timeline of official actions, including demarcation and notification procedures. The court also instructed the petitioners to furnish documents such as land allotment records, utility bills, and scheme enrollment papers to support their claims.
The Uriamghat eviction is part of a larger land reclamation initiative launched by the Assam government in late July 2025.
The campaign has so far targeted over 2,600 homes across 12 villages, including Dayalpur, Madhupur, and Sonaribil Top, as part of efforts to clear what authorities describe as encroached land within the Rengma Reserved Forest, near the Assam–Nagaland border. The operation has involved the deployment of around 2,000 police personnel, 500 forest officials, and 100 excavators.
Many of the affected families say they were displaced by river erosion and had gradually settled in Uriamghat, integrating into the area over time with the help of government services.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has consistently supported eviction drives aimed at reclaiming forest and protected lands, especially in cases of what he terms “non-tribal encroachments.” He has stated that evictions will continue unless settlers are protected under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. As of mid-2025, the government has cleared nearly 160 sq km of land across the state, impacting more than 50,000 people.
However, civil society groups and rights advocates have voiced concerns over the lack of rehabilitation, abrupt eviction notices, and potential violations of constitutional protections.
Previously, the High Court had extended the eviction compliance deadline to August 7. With this latest stay, the court has reinforced that all eviction actions must adhere to due process.
The next hearing, scheduled for August 14, is expected to be crucial in determining the future of the Uriamghat settlement. For the petitioning families, the legal proceedings are not only about land, but also about recognition, legal protection, and the right to dignified living.