The President of India, His Excellency Shri K.R. Narayanan vide order dated July 18, 2000 had notified the establishment of a Permanent Bench of the Gauhati High Court at Itanagar and such Judges of the Gauhati High Court, being not less than one in number, as the Chief Justice of that High Court may, from time to time nominate, shall sit at Itanagar in order to exercise the jurisdiction and powers for the time being vested in the Gauhati High Court in respect of cases arising in the State of Arunachal Pradesh.
Provided that the Chief Justice of that High Court may, in his discretion, order that any case or class of cases arising in the State of Arunachal Pradesh shall be heard at Guwahati.
The Gauhati High Court (Establishment of a Permanent Bench at Itanagar) order, 2000 came into force on the 12th day of August, 2000. On this auspicious day the Hon'ble Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Dr. A.S. Anand was pleased to inaugurate the Itanagar Permanent Bench of the Gauhati High Court at Naharlagun (located in a picturesque location about 13Kms. From the Capital town, Itanagar and 12Kms. away from the Banderdewa Check Post between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) in presence of His Excellency Shri Arvind Dave, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Mukut Mithi, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Hon'ble Mr. Justice S.N. Phukan of the Supreme Court of India, who subsequently inaugurated the Itanagar High Court Bar and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Brijesh Kumar, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court (later on elevated as a Judges of the Supreme Court) and his Lordship's companion Judges as well as other eminent dignitaries present there to mark the occasion in a befitting manner.
Indeed the 12th day of August, 2000 was a red-letter day in the history of Arunachal Pradesh so far as the functioning of the Highest Judiciary in the State with a population of ten lakh people was concerned.
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice S.N. Phukan, Judge, Supreme Court of India was pleased to release the cause list of the first working day of the Itanagar Permanent Bench and inaugurated the High Court Bar Building.
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice N.C. Jain (since retired as the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court) held the Court at 10:30 A.M. on August 14, 2000 (Monday).