Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attends two-day East Zone Regional Conference

Guwahati (Assam) [India], October 11 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that law is not merely a set of rules but a bridge of trust between the state and its people.
Speaking at the two-day East Zone Regional Conference of the seven northeastern states along with Sikkim, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha at Sonapur, Chief Minister Sarma said the conference that brings together the collective experience and wisdom of judiciary and legal service institutions from the eastern and north-eastern states would strengthen institutional mechanisms and ensure greater access to justice, especially by the poor and marginalised.
He said that the presence of the legal luminaries from 12 states reflects the strength of the justice system and the collective belief that law is not just a set of rules but a bridge of trust between the State and the people.
Commending the initiative of the Assam State Legal Services Authority and the Gauhati High Court for organising the regional conference under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the Chief Minister said that the conference has presented a platform of meeting of minds committed to the common goal of making justice accessible, simple and meaningful for every citizen.
The Chief Minister, while hailing the role of NALSA, said that under the leadership of the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, NALSA has grown into a nationwide movement.
"Since its inception it has been providing legal aid, legal awareness, and helping the underprivileged understand and use laws in their daily lives. Equally important are NALSA's efforts inside prisons, where legal aid ensures that no person remains deprived of justice for want of representation. NALSA's awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, and villages have helped citizens understand their rights and duties," he said.
Chief Minister Sarma said that the Northeast, with its rich diversity of languages, customs, and terrain, presents unique challenges to the justice delivery system. He also said that the region also offers valuable lessons in harmony and community-based resolution.
"Traditional practices and modern law can together make justice more participatory and responsive," he said.
Stating that the Legal Services Authorities have a key role in spreading awareness, resolving local disputes through Lok Adalats, and strengthening access to justice at the grassroots, Dr. Sarma said that the Assam Government will continue to work closely with NALSA and State Legal Services Authorities to make justice delivery simple, swift, and inclusive.
He also expressed optimism that the East Zone Regional Conference being held in Guwahati presents special significance as a platform for deliberating on some of the key critical issues of law and social concern of the Northeast.
The Chief Minister, moreover, said that the persistence of child marriage in several eastern and north-eastern states continues to pose serious socio-legal challenges.
"The overlap between the POCSO Act and child marriage laws has created conflicting outcomes," the Assam Chief Minister said.
He, therefore, advocated for harmonising the legal framework that safeguards children while addressing social realities. He also said that education, awareness, and empowerment of girls must remain the most effective tools for prevention of child marriage.
CM Sarma also observed that the Northeast's proximity to international borders has made it vulnerable to the drug trade.
"Assam has been relentless in its fight, registering over 3,000 NDPS cases every year and seizing large quantities of heroin, ganja, and psychotropic substances. The conference would provide a platform to deliberate on stronger enforcement, witness protection, rehabilitation, and youth awareness to build a drug-free, healthy, and secure North-East. The tribal communities in North East are the guardians of forests, culture, and tradition, yet many continue to face marginalisation," he said.
He believed that NALSA's new SAMVAD Scheme will help spread awareness about the laws, such as the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, the PESA Act, and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 to ensure legal aid to tribal communities. He also expressed his gratitude to Assam State Legal Services Authority for taking the initiative in setting up Legal Aid Clinics and inaugurating them in 46 tea estates across the State.
He believed that the move will empower the tea communities to face the challenges of poverty, poor health, and lack of access to education and justice.
Speaking on Viksit Bharat as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Sarma said that to fully transform India into Viksit Bharat, every sector, namely governance, economy, education, and justice, needs to work together for a strong, equitable, and self-reliant India.
He emphasised that in this journey justice delivery will play a defining role. He, therefore, reiterated on the need of making justice accessible, affordable, and timely for all.
The Chief Minister on the occasion set across certain priorities namely digital access to justice, legal awareness in every village, gender-sensitive justice, engaging young students, law graduates, and social workers as the messengers of justice, and giving environmental and climate justice equal importance.
Chief Minister Sarma concluded by expressing his confidence that the two-day conference would definitely strengthen the network of legal services institutions and enhance access to justice for vulnerable and marginalised communities and promote awareness on vital issues of social concern.
The programme was presided over by Judge of the Supreme Court of India Justice Surya Kanta, in the presence of Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Justice Ashutosh Kumar, Judges of the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts of Gauhati, Sikkim, Patna, Calcutta, Jharkhand, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya and Odisha. (ANI)