Gauhati High Court
Page No.# 1/8 vs The Union Of India And Ors on 31 March, 2026
Author: Devashis Baruah
Bench: Devashis Baruah
Page No.# 1/8
GAHC010057782026
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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : WP(C)/1694/2026
ABDUL KARIM AND ORS
S/O- ABDUL SATTAR,
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE,
P.O.- BORPANI, P.S.- KACHUA, DIST- NAGAON, ASSAM
2: ABDUL RAHIM
S/O- JULMAT ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
3: JAIN UDDIN
S/O- SAN MIYA
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
4: ABDUL SATTAR
S/O- JULMAT ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
5: AJAR UDDIN
S/O- ABDUL JABBAR.
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
Page No.# 2/8
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
6: EMAN ALI
S/O- KERAMAT ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
7: NUR JAMAL
S/O- AIN UDDIN
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
8: AFTAR UDDIN
S/O- REJAK ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
9: JAHANGIR ALOM
S/O- ABDUL SATTAR
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
10: JALAL UDDIN
S/O- AHMED ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
11: WASIR UDDIN
S/O- ALAL UDDIN
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
Page No.# 3/8
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
12: RIYAJ UDDIN
S/O- ALAL UDDIN
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
13: TAHIR UDDIN
S/O- ABDUL AJID
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
14: SAFIR UDDIN
S/O- ABDUL AJID
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
15: KHURSHID ALOM
S/O- ABDUL AJID
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
16: ASHIK AHMED
S/O- ABDUL AJID
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
17: IMAM UDDIN
S/O- ABDUL AJID
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
Page No.# 4/8
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
18: ABDUL SATTAR
S/O- MAKY HUSSAIN
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
19: ALAL UDDIN
S/O- ASMAT ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
20: FAIJUL HAQUE
SON OF NURUL ISLAM
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
21: HUSSAIN ALI
SON OF- MANNAS ALI
RESIDENT OF VILL- PADUMONI TANGIA HATIPARA FOREST VILLAGE
P.O.- BORPANI
P.S.- KACHUA
DIST- NAGAON
ASSA
VERSUS
THE UNION OF INDIA AND ORS
TO BE REPRESENTED BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE, INDIRA PARYAVARAN BHAWAN, JORBAGH ROAD,
NEW DELHI, INDIA
2:THE STATE OF ASSAM
TO BE REPRESENTED BY THE SPECIAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS DEPARTMENT
JANATA BHAWAN ASSAM SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
Page No.# 5/8
DISPUR
GUWAHATI- 781006
3:COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
REVENUE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
JANATA BHAWAN ASSAM SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
DISPUR
GUWAHATI- 781006
4:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF
FOREST FORCE AND WILDLIFE
O/O THE PCCF AND HOFF
ASSAM
ARANYA BHAWAN
PANJABARI
GUWAHATI- 781037
5:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER
NAGAON DIVISION
NAGAON
ASSAM
6:THE DISTRICT LEVEL COMMITTEE FOR REMOVAL OF FOREST
ENCROACHMENT
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM (REPRESENTED BY ITS MEMBER SECRETARY)
7:THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER
NAGAON
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
8:THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
NAGAON
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
9:THE CIRCLE OFFICER
KAMPUR REVENUE CIRCLE
DIST- NAGAON
ASSAM
10:THE OFFICER IN CHARGE
KACHUA POLICE STATION
NAGAON
ASSA
Page No.# 6/8
For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. A.R. Bhuyan, Advocate
For the Respondent(s) : Mr. B. Deka, CGC
Mr. P.N. Goswami, Addl. A.G.
Mr. A. Bhattacharya, Standing Counsel
BEFORE
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH
ORDER
Date : 31.03.2026 Issue notice making it returnable on 07.04.2026.
2. Mr. B. Deka, the learned CGC appears on behalf of the respondent No. 1; Mr. P.N. Goswami, the learned Additional Advocate General appears on behalf of the respondent Nos. 2 and 4 to 10 and Mr. A. Bhattacharya, the learned Standing Counsel appears on behalf of the respondent No. 3 and accepts notice.
3. Extra copies of the writ petition be served upon the respective counsels during the course of the day.
4. 21 petitioners have approached this Court challenging the Speaking Orders enclosed as Annexure-10 to the writ petition whereby the petitioners have been informed that they have encroached upon the Lutumai Reserved Forest and they were directed to vacate the same within 15 days from the date of the said orders.
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5. Mr. A.R. Bhuyan, the learned counsel for the petitioners fairly submitted that the petitioners do not fall within the ambit of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The learned counsel however submitted that the Forest Department, in the 1970s, had permitted the petitioners to reside within the Lutumai Reserved Forest as Tongia cultivators, and on that basis, they have been residing within the Reserved Forest.
6. The respondents herein, more particularly the Forest Department, shall file an affidavit as to the existence of the rights of the Tongia settlers as claimed by the petitioners, and whether the conferment of such rights is permissible in terms with the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, as well as the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
7. This Court also takes notice that the Speaking Orders dated 07.03.2026 categorically mentions that the petitioners have been granted 15 days to vacate their occupation.
8. Mr. P.N. Goswami, the learned Additional Advocate General appearing on behalf of the respondents submitted that till the next date, he undertakes that no steps would be taken.
9. Considering the above, this Court is not inclined to pass any interim directions at this stage.
Page No.# 8/8
10. List the matter along with WP(C) No. 1649/2026 on 07.04.2026.
JUDGE Comparing Assistant