[Cites 1, Cited by 0]
Gauhati High Court
Page No.# 1/9 vs Union Of India And 11 Ors on 7 April, 2026
Author: Devashis Baruah
Bench: Devashis Baruah
Page No.# 1/9
GAHC010056802026
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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : WP(C)/1628/2026
ABU BAKKAR SIDDIQUE AND 19 ORS
S/O HUSSAIN ALI, VILL. TIRIPAR BARPANI, MAUZA - GORUBAT, P.O.
BARPANI, P.S. KACHUA, DIST. NAGAON, ASSAM, PIN 782426.
2: ABU HANIFA
S/O HUSSAIN ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426
3: REJUANA KHATUN
D/O AMAR ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KOCHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426
4: ABDUL FALAN
S/O MONTAJ ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN - 782426.
Page No.# 2/9
5: SAIDUR RAHMAN
S/O ISMAT ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN - 782426.
6: SAHIDUL ISLAM
S/O ISMAT ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN - 782426.
7: MANTAJ ALI
S/O ISMAT ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN - 782426
8: HAMESA KHATUN
W/O LT. NAZIR HUSSAIN
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
9: RAHUL AMIN
S/O ABDUI JABBAR
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
10: ABDUL SATTAR
S/O ISMAIL ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
Page No.# 3/9
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. GORUBAT
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
11: ABDUL HAI
S/O ISMAIL ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
12: ABDUL HAMID
S/O IBRAHIM
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
13: KUDDUS ALI
S/O KHIDER ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
. PIN -782426.
14: JOYNAL ABEDIN
S/O ABDUL KADIR
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN-782426.
Page No.# 4/9
15: IBRAHIM
S/O ILAHI BAKSH
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
16: JAMAL UDDIN
S/O ABDUL BAREK
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
17: ABDUL MALEK
S/O JAMSHER ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426
18: SHEIKH FARID
S/O ABBAS ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN-782426.
19: NUR HUSSAIN
S/O JAMSHER ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
Page No.# 5/9
ASSAM
PIN -782426.
20: ALI HUSSAIN
S/O JAMSHER ALI
VILL. LONGJAP 700 ACRE PADUMONI
MAUZA - GORUBAT
P.O. BARPANI
P.S. KACHUA
DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
PIN -782426
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND 11 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 CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT
OF ASSAM
JANATA BHAWAN
ASSAM
SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 781006
3:SPECIAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
ENVIRONMENT FORESTS DEPARTMENT
JANATA BHAWAN
ASSAM SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
DISPUR
GUWAHATI -781006
4:COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
REVENUE DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
JANATA BHAWAN
ASSAM SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 781006.
5:PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF FOREST
FORCE AND WILDLIFE
O/O THE PCCF HOFF
ASSAM
ARANYA BHAWAN
Page No.# 6/9
PANJABARI
GUWAHATI -781037.
6:DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER
NAGAON DIVISION
NAGAON
ASSAM. FIN-782001
7:DISTRICT COMMISSIONER
NAGAON
ASSAM. PIN-782001
8:SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
NAGAON
ASSAM. PIN -782001
9:CIRCLE OFFICER
KAMPUR REVENUE CIRCLE
NAGAON
ASSAM. PIN-782426
10:OFFICER IN CHARGE
KACHUA POLICE STATION
NAGAON
ASSAM. PIN- 782426
11:THE DISTRICT LEVEL COMMITTEE
FOR REMOVAL OF FOREST ENCROACHMENT OFFICE OF THE
DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER
NAGAON FOREST DIVISION
NAGAON
ASSAM
-REPRESENTED BY THE MEMBER SECRETARY. PIN- 782001
12:THE RANGE OFFICER
KAMPUR FOREST RANGE
NAGAON
ASSAM. PIN-78242
For the Petitioner(s) : Ms. S.B. Choudhury, Advocate
For the Respondent(s) : Mr. B. Deka, CGC
Mr. S.S. Roy, Govt. Advocate
Mr. D. Gogoi, Standing Counsel
Ms. N. Bordoloi, Standing Counsel
Page No.# 7/9
BEFORE
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH
ORDER
Date : 07.04.2026
Issue notice making it returnable on 28.04.2026 at 2:00 P.M.
2. Mr. B. Deka, the learned CGC appears on behalf of the
respondent No. 1; Mr. S. S. Roy, the learned Government
Advocate appears on behalf of the respondent Nos. 2, 7, 8, 9
and 10; Mr. D. Gogoi, the learned Standing Counsel appears on
behalf of the respondent Nos. 3, 5, 6, 11 and 12 and Ms. N.
Bordoloi, the learned Standing Counsel appears on behalf of the
respondent No. 4 and accepts notice.
3. Extra copies of the writ petition be served upon the
respective counsels during the course of the day.
4. 20 petitioners have approached this Court challenging
various Speaking Orders enclosed as Annexure-E (series),
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.
5. Ms. S. B. Choudhury, the learned counsel for the petitioners
fairly submitted that the petitioners do not fall within the ambit
Page No.# 8/9
of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, as well as the rights of
the petitioners are not saved in terms with Section 21 of the
Assam Forest Regulation, 1891. It is the only contention that
the land under the occupation of the petitioners does not fall
within the Lutumai Reserved Forest.
6. Upon hearing the learned counsel at length, the issue that
arises for consideration is whether the petitioners are in
occupation of lands falling within the Lutumai Reserved Forest.
7. This Court, upon perusal of the Speaking Orders finds it
relevant to take note of that there is a mention to a detailed
joint verification by the committee members constituted by the
Governor of Assam vide the Notification dated 17.02.2026 and
in terms with the said joint verification being carried out by the
said committee members, it is mentioned that the petitioners
are in unauthorized occupation of the Lutumai Reserved Forest.
8. During the course of the hearing, this Court inquired with
Mr. S.S. Roy, the learned Government Advocate, as to when the
Lutumai Reserved Forest was notified as a reserved forest, and
if so, there has to be a Notification in terms with Section 17 of
the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891. Apart from that, the joint
verification report would also throw some light as regards the
Page No.# 9/9
occupation of the petitioners' vis-à-vis the land falling within the
Lutumai Reserved Forest.
9. Accordingly, this Court directs the respondent State, more
particularly, the Forest Department, to place on record by filing
a preliminary affidavit bringing on record the Notification issued
under Section 17 of the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891
pertaining to Lutumai Reserved Forest, and further also bringing
on record the joint verification report.
10. 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.
11. Accordingly, this Court directs that till the next date, the
respondent Forest Department shall not take any steps for
eviction in respect to the Lutumai Reserved Forest.
12. List the matter along with WP(C) No. 1649/2026 on
28.04.2026 at 2:00 P.M.
JUDGE
Comparing Assistant
