India, Aug. 10 -- Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai on Sunday inaugurated the newly built permanent bench of the Gauhati high court at Naharlagun, calling it a "historic step" towards making justice more accessible and affordable in the state and the Northeast.

The inauguration was attended by Union minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju, Union minister of state for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, chief justice of Gauhati high court Ashutosh Kumar, judges from the Supreme Court, Gauhati high court, and the Itanagar permanent bench, along with several eminent judges from high courts across the country.

Addressing the gathering, Gavai advocated decentralisation of judicial services, stressing that justice must be delivere...