The Gauhati High Court has sharply questioned authorities in Assam’s Goalpara district after they demolished 21 houses on private agricultural land with less than two days' notice. Justice Devashis Baruah didn’t mince words, calling the action “prima facie illegal and unauthorised” and a clear violation of natural justice.

Key facts:

  • 21 houses demolished on September 7, 2026
  • Notices served on September 5 giving 24 hours to dismantle
  • 73 families, mostly Muslim, affected
  • Court hearing held on September 7

What Prompted the Demolition?

Officials claimed the houses were built without permission and were “obstructing water bodies and natural drainage channels.” But the court immediately spotted problems with that reasoning. These weren’t forest encroachments—the district’s usual target—but homes on private patta land, where owners had deeds.

A Question of Natural Justice

Senior counsel Shantanu Borthakur, representing the homeowners, argued that the demolition happened in the early hours of September 7—less than 48 hours after notices were dropped. Families had no chance to respond, no opportunity to be heard. Justice Baruah agreed, stressing that natural justice isn’t some abstract idea—it’s woven into fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of India’s Constitution. “It is absolutely unthinkable,” he said, that such notices could be served this way today.

“In the opinion of this court, the action of the Circle Officer prima facie appear[s] to be illegal and unauthorised and violative of the principles of natural justice.”

What Comes Next?

The court has given government advocates a direct task: find out what “imminent danger” justified bulldozing these homes. Meanwhile, affected families can file additional affidavits detailing their losses. Until the next hearing, no further action can be taken on their land. For now, the legal machinery grinds on, but with a clear tilt toward the villagers searching for answers.