“Peace is not the absence of war; peace is the presence of conditions that give dignity to all.”
– Leymah Gbowee
West UP High Court Bench Demand And Judicial Injustice
It is a matter of supreme irony that the most populated state of India, Uttar Pradesh, which tops the state list with the maximum number of pending cases – more than 12 lakhs, as conceded by the president of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association – Mr Rakesh Pandey, has just one High Court bench at Lucknow, so close to Allahabad in Eastern UP, created 78 years ago in July 1948, and West UP, which owes the majority of the pending cases of the Allahabad High Court, has not even a single High Court bench, not even a circuit bench, and not only just this but, in addition, has been attached with not even Lucknow, which falls much earlier, but right up to Allahabad to seek justice, which in itself is the biggest betrayal of the Constitution, the deepest burial of justice, and the worst mockery of the poorest litigants of 30 districts of West UP, who have to travel a whole night and nearly a day by train, about 700 to 800 km on average, most shockingly!
Pending Cases And Population Crisis In UP
From a legal standpoint, it is UP which tops the state list in having the maximum number of pending cases and so also has the maximum population, more than 25 crore, and here too it is West UP which is responsible for the majority of pending cases in UP, and still, leave alone the High Court or permanent seat of the High Court bench, it does not even have a circuit bench, as the centre is just not ready to concede, most disgracefully!
Key Facts About West UP And Allahabad High Court
| Issue | Current Situation |
|---|---|
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Population | More than 25 crore |
| Pending Cases | More than 12 lakh cases |
| Existing High Court Bench | Lucknow Bench |
| Year Of Creation Of Lucknow Bench | July 1948 |
| High Court Bench In West UP | None |
| Circuit Bench In West UP | None |
| Distance To Allahabad For Litigants | Approximately 700 to 800 km |
| Districts Affected | 30 districts of West UP |
Hardship Faced By West UP Litigants
- Poor litigants are forced to travel overnight and nearly an entire day by train.
- Average travel distance ranges between 700 km and 800 km.
- West UP contributes the majority of pending cases in Uttar Pradesh.
- Despite this, the region has no permanent High Court bench.
- Even a circuit bench has not been granted to West UP.
Constitutional And Judicial Concerns
The denial of a High Court bench to West UP raises serious constitutional and judicial concerns. It reflects unequal access to justice for millions of people living in the western region of Uttar Pradesh. The absence of a bench has consistently increased the burden on litigants, advocates, and the judicial system itself.
I often find myself battling with a moot question: Why is the Centre so hell-bent on denying West UP even a single bench and thwarting all chances of creating even a circuit bench most spinelessly without any remorse or regret?
West UP High Court Bench Demand Gains Strong Support
Even former eminent Supreme Court Judge – Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju, who has been Chief Justice of different High Courts, including Allahabad High Court, has fully reiterated his open support for the most legitimate demand for a High Court bench in West UP, which is most refreshing to note! How long will this most pressing bench issue in West UP be held hostage on one pretext or the other? How long will the centre be seen to be sitting on the fence on this most compelling issue?
Centre Must Address the Long-Pending West UP Bench Issue
By any reckoning, the centre needs to remove the albatross from around its neck of West UP. It cannot have a High Court bench despite deserving it so much, as was recommended also by the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by a former Supreme Court judge appointed by the centre itself, which recommended a permanent seat of a High Court bench in West UP about 50 years ago, yet not even a single High Court circuit bench has been created in the last about 80 years of independence since 1947!
How long will the centre feel the luxury to keep such a most pressing issue directly affecting the litigants of 30 districts of West UP in abeyance on one pretext or the other? How long will such a long-lingering, most pressing issue remain in limbo needlessly and pale into insignificance at the cost of litigants of West UP who suffer most, especially those who are very poor?
Justice Jaswant Singh Commission Recommendation
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Commission Name | Justice Jaswant Singh Commission |
| Recommendation | Permanent High Court Bench in West UP |
| Recommendation Period | Approximately 50 Years Ago |
| Status | Still Pending Implementation |
| Affected Region | 30 Districts of West UP |
Denial of High Court Bench to West UP
Truly speaking, the prominent view is that the centre is fully culpable for depriving West UP from having even a single High Court bench, not even a circuit bench, just like in Purvanchal and Bundelkhand! The centre needs to think hard and deep.
Why has it so irrationally deprived West UP from having even a single bench? How long will the centre keep appeasing naysayers who most vehemently oppose the setting up of even a single bench in West UP for serving their own vested interests? Denial of even a single High Court bench to West UP on flimsy grounds is patently ludicrous!
Comparison with Karnataka High Court Benches
When the centre could create in one go two High Court benches for Karnataka in 2008 with just 6 crore people at Dharwad and Gulbarga for just 4 and 8 districts, then why for West UP with more than 10 crore people and 30 districts do we see that it has not even a single High Court bench nor even a circuit bench, to say the very least!
| Region | Population | Districts Covered | Number of Benches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka (Dharwad & Gulbarga) | Approximately 6 Crore | 4 and 8 Districts | 2 High Court Benches |
| West UP | More Than 10 Crore | 30 Districts | No High Court Bench |
West UP Lawyers’ Agitation for High Court Bench
It is definitely most deeply anguishing to see that the lawyers of 22 districts of West UP out of a total of 30 districts with more than 10 crore people have been so unitedly agitating for a High Court bench with full discipline since about 80 years of independence, and I myself have been a personal witness to this most sacred agitation since about 25 years ago in Meerut, yet most disappointingly to no avail!
Major Protests and Dharna by Lawyers
- On 20 September, 2025, lawyers of 22 districts of West UP held protests and a dharna.
- The agitation highlighted the alleged stepmotherly treatment towards West UP.
- On December 17, 2025, a complete shutdown was observed across West UP.
- The protest was against denial of a High Court bench to West UP.
Maharashtra vs West UP Bench Controversy
As recently as on 20 September, 2025, the lawyers of West UP of 22 districts protested and held a dharna and protested against the stepmotherly treatment accorded to West UP, and on December 17, 2025, there was a complete shutdown in West UP in protest of the denial of a High Court bench to West UP because, once again, Maharashtra, which already had multiple High Court benches at Aurangabad, Nagpur and Panaji, was given one more at Kolhapur, which started functioning from August 18, 2025, for just 6 districts and a very small population, but West UP, with 30 districts and more than 10 crore people, has not even a single circuit bench!
Bench Allocation Comparison
| State/Region | Existing Benches | New Bench | Districts Covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Aurangabad, Nagpur, Panaji | Kolhapur | 6 Districts |
| West UP | None | None | 30 Districts |
Conclusion on West UP High Court Bench
The demand for a High Court bench in West UP has remained one of the most pressing legal and judicial issues affecting millions of litigants across 30 districts. Despite decades of peaceful protests, recommendations by the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission, and overwhelming public support, West UP still remains without even a single High Court bench or circuit bench. The issue continues to raise serious questions regarding judicial accessibility, regional equality, and fairness in the administration of justice.
This is definitely most disgusting indeed and presents a most disturbing picture of the sorry state of affairs and “open slaughtering of justice and equality” yet Centre is not doing anything on this even though Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself about 50 years ago recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP at Agra yet not created till date anywhere in West UP and on its recommendation one High Court Bench had already been created at Aurangabad in 1980s itself for just about 7 districts then and so also at Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and so also at Madurai in Tamil Nadu! How long will lawyers and litigants of West UP keep demanding High Court Bench ad nauseam with nearly 80 years of independence having already flown under the bridge? It serves no one to sweep the embers of this needless row over most “open and shut” case of setting up of a High Court Bench in West UP under the carpet!
Constitutional Violation And Article 14
Constitutionally speaking, the denial of even a single Bench to West UP not even a Circuit Bench is biggest betrayal of Article 14 of Constitution which is fundamental right to equality and West UP whose population is more than nearly all States except UP of which it is a part, Bihar and Maharashtra and pending cases maximum in any region in India yet most atrociously has been deprived from having even a single Circuit Bench! The inescapable question that remains unanswered is: Why Centre has been needlessly prolonging this “open and shut” case of setting up of High Court Bench in West UP on one pretext or the other?
Major Concerns Raised
- West UP has no High Court Bench or Circuit Bench.
- Article 14 guarantees equality before law.
- West UP contributes maximum pending cases.
- Litigants face huge financial and logistical hardships.
- Justice Jaswant Singh Commission had recommended a Bench at Agra.
Unequal Distribution Of High Court Benches
SS More who was a first-time member who stood against GV Mavalankar who is India’s first Speaker in 1952 Speaker elections ended his speech by reminding the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru that, “Democracy cannot be developed by developing a sort of partisan spirit – a fanatical partisan spirit – which is not proper according to the fundamental concepts of democracy…” This fanatical partisan spirit is exactly what we are witnessing in distribution of High Court Benches in different States and different regions with only five elite States – Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and West Bengal having multiple High Court Benches and Maharashtra having maximum number of High Court Benches! This despite the most irrefutable fact that the population of Maharashtra is more than half less of Uttar Pradesh and pending cases is less than not only just UP but even less than West UP which owes for majority of pending cases of UP and still West UP has not even a single Bench and Maharashtra has maximum number of High Court Benches! This is the real rub!
Comparison Of High Court Benches
| State/Region | Status Of High Court Benches | Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Maximum Number Of Benches | Population Lower Than UP |
| Madhya Pradesh | Multiple Benches | Better Judicial Access |
| Karnataka | Multiple Benches | Regional Representation |
| West Bengal | Bench At Jalpaiguri | Created For Regional Ease |
| Tamil Nadu | Bench At Madurai | Regional Justice Access |
| West UP | No Bench | Maximum Pendency Yet No Relief |
Pendency Of Cases And Judicial Burden
To put it gently, it would not be completely off the mark to say that it is West UP where High Court should now be shifted as the pendency of cases in Allahabad High Court continues to be staggeringly high putting an unprecedented strain on the judicial system and majority of pending cases are from West UP as was conceded by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission also! But what I find most deeply unsettling and so also most perplexing to note is that West UP has not even a High Court Bench nor even just a High Court Circuit Bench and still Supreme Court says nothing! When will it speak up? It must speak up now fearlessly in the interest of justice so that the poorest litigants of West UP stands to gain the most and don’t just keep on suffering endlessly with no end in sight for no fault of theirs!
Impact On Litigants
- Poor litigants suffer the most.
- Travel to Allahabad causes financial burden.
- Delay in justice increases litigation hardship.
- Judicial accessibility remains unequal.
- Faith in justice delivery system weakens.
Need For Supreme Court Intervention
By all accounts, there can be just no gainsaying that failure to act will not only just erode but also completely destroy public trust in the judiciary and the systemic bias against West UP that has already been exposed as we see openly that how despite owing for majority of the pending cases of Allahabad High Court and contributing again in majority to the State’s economy only to receive such a shabby step-motherly treatment by being denied most unfairly the right to “speedy and affordable justice at doorsteps for so long without any bona fide reason which culminates in justice being delayed and justice delayed is justice denied! It is high time and Supreme Court must definitely now take suo motu cognizance of it most promptly and stop keeping a deafening silence that affects billions of litigants so hugely with poorest litigants bearing the worst brunt! It will only provide relief to the litigants of West UP who are worst affected especially poor and will enhance the prestige of the top court itself!
Conclusion On High Court Bench Demand
In sum, the merciless, relentless and senseless denial of a High Court Bench to West UP is not merely a deviation from democratic values, it is also fundamentally antithetical to the constitutional values of equality as enshrined in Article 14 of Constitution and strikes at the moral fabric of our Republic. It also certainly runs counter to what is encapsulated in Preamble of the Constitution! Why is Centre so miserly on the creation of a High Court Bench in West UP?
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col (Retd) BPS Sirohi, A - 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera, Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.
