Allahabad High Court Pendency and the Demand for a Bench in Western Uttar Pradesh
It is indisputable that the Allahabad High Court is the biggest High Court in not only just India among all the States, in not only just Asia, in not only just few continents, in not only just many continents but in all the continents all over the world with maximum number of pending cases more than 12 lakhs in Allahabad High Court which is maximum among all the States in India and here too it is West UP which owes for majority of pending cases with more than 10 crores people for whom Dr BR Ambedkar recommended separate Statehood itself and separate High Court itself just like for Eastern and Central UP and still Allahabad High Court which tops State list in having maximum number of pending cases and has more than 4 lakh advocates enrolled in Allahabad High Court which is highest in the world and UP Bar Council is also the biggest Bar Council in the world.
But still Centre is most dead determined never to allow even a single High Court Bench not even a single High Court Circuit Bench in any nook and corner of Uttar Pradesh other than the one created by Jawaharlal Nehru way back in July 1948 so close to Allahabad High Court and most astoundingly attached litigants of 30 districts of West UP and hilly areas of undivided UP with not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad which is biggest betrayal of Constitution and deepest burial of justice and worst mockery of poorest litigants of 30 districts of West UP and hilly areas of undivided UP as long as it formed part of UP which made practically just no sense at all and culminated in partition of Uttar Pradesh 26 years ago!
Ideally, UP should have been partitioned into Eastern, Western and Central UP as was suggested by Dr BR Ambedkar but leave alone partition and separate High Court, Centre has treated West UP as unworthy to be given even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench which has to be most strongly condemned! How long will Centre pat itself on the back that UP has just one High Court Bench created 78 years ago so close to Allahabad High Court at Lucknow where it was just not needed at all?
Key Issues Highlighted
- Allahabad High Court has the highest pendency among all High Courts in India.
- West UP contributes a substantial share of the pending litigation.
- More than 10 crore people reside in West UP.
- Only one Bench exists in Uttar Pradesh, located at Lucknow.
- No High Court Bench or Circuit Bench has been established in West UP.
- Dr BR Ambedkar had recommended separate Statehood and separate High Court arrangements.
Single Bench in India's Most Populous State
It is ostensibly most astounding to see that the most populated State of India that is Uttar Pradesh which tops the State list in having maximum number of pending cases among all the States has only High Court Bench at Lucknow so close to Allahabad High Court created way back in July 1948 and nowhere else!
What is even more baffling to note is that West UP which contributes maximum to the State’s economy more than 80% apart from contributing to majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court as acknowledged even by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission appointed by Centre itself which recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP about 50 years ago yet not even a Circuit Bench created till date and litigants attached with not even Lucknow which falls much earlier but right uptill Allahabad which is far away from even Lucknow and due to which poor and middle class litigants who travel by train have to spend whole night and nearly a day all the way till Allahabad due to West UP not having even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench despite having 30 districts with more than 10 crore population which ideally should have been given separate High Court itself like most of the States in India!
The whole point is: Centre has been most unduly harsh with West UP and has always forwarded one lame excuse or the other to deny West UP even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench even as we are standing on verge of 80 years of independence which is just few months away and even 100 years not very far away!
West UP Judicial Access Concerns
| Issue | Observation |
|---|---|
| Population | More than 10 crore people in West UP |
| Districts Covered | 30 districts |
| Economic Contribution | More than 80% contribution to State economy (as stated) |
| Bench Availability | No High Court Bench or Circuit Bench in West UP |
| Travel Burden | Litigants often travel overnight and nearly a full day to Allahabad |
| Commission Recommendation | Justice Jaswant Singh Commission recommended a permanent Bench in West UP |
Constitutional Equality and Judicial Distribution
There can be just no gainsaying that Allahabad High Court is most overburdened with huge backlog of pending cases which is highest among all States still most mercilessly Centre feels most proud in depriving Allahabad High Court from having multiple High Court Benches and this is in breach of fundamental right to equality as enshrined in Article 14 of Constitution but most perplexingly even Apex Court never dared to take suo motu cognizance of it!
On what basis Maharashtra has maximum High Court Benches in India when its population is more than half less of UP and just about one crore more than West UP and when it comes to pending cases has less pending cases than not only UP but even less than West UP yet Centre has been most passionate in ensuring that West UP is deprived from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench to say the very least?
Why only five States – Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Karnataka have multiple High Court Benches and on what basis?
States with Multiple High Court Benches Mentioned
| State | Status Mentioned |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Multiple High Court Benches |
| Madhya Pradesh | Multiple High Court Benches |
| Assam | Multiple High Court Benches |
| West Bengal | Multiple High Court Benches |
| Karnataka | Multiple High Court Benches |
Call for Supreme Court Intervention
Why lawless Bihar and Orissa don’t have even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench? Who is masterminding such despicable discrimination without any prima facie reason to justify it?
It is high time and Supreme Court must act now and put a complete full stop to the most merciless discrimination that has been perpetrated in distribution of High Courts, High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches in different States and different regions without any prima facie reason for such most merciless discrimination to be perpetrated.
This is happening in judiciary itself yet Supreme Court has never dared to take suo motu cognizance of it not even when UP was undivided and people of hilly areas of undivided UP had to travel thousands of kilometers all the way till Allahabad most horribly even though Justice Jaswant Singh Commission appointed by Centre itself recommended two Circuit Benches at Dehradun and Nainital and a permanent Bench in West UP in Agra yet not one created and Maharashtra which already had multiple High Court Benches at Nagpur and Panaji was given one more at Aurangabad in 1980s as recommended and now last year on August 18, 2025 we saw fifth High Court Bench created at Kolhapur for just 6 districts started functioning!
Recommendations and Observations
- Creation of a High Court Bench in West UP.
- Consideration of Circuit Benches in underserved regions.
- Review of recommendations made by the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission.
- Reassessment of judicial infrastructure distribution across States.
- Reduction of travel burden on litigants from distant districts.
- Addressing pendency through decentralization of judicial institutions.
Centre: The Biggest Stumbling Block for a High Court Bench in West UP
The point being made here is that it is Centre which most unscrupulously has been acting as the biggest stumbling block for creation of High Court Bench in West UP on one pretext or the other which has only served to portray it in poor light. It is also not hidden from anyone that it is Centre which is the biggest litigator in our nation!
For my esteemed readers exclusive indulgence, I must bring out here that the Single Judge Bench of Allahabad High Court comprising of Hon’ble Mr Kshitij Shailendra in a most notable judgment titled Radhey Shyam Yadav vs Sri Ashok Nath Tiwari, the District Inspector of Schools in Contempt Application (Civil) No. - 6468 of 2022 that was pronounced recently on May 19, 2026 laments in para 20 with a heavy heart stating that:
“In heavily burdened constitutional courts, like our Allahabad High Court, where around 400, 500, 600 and sometimes more than 800 cases are listed every day before every Judge, judicial proceedings may consume considerable time for disposal; sometimes years and sometime decades also. Still people all around may expect such overburdened judges to become ever-working super robots or super computers or super-human beings? If during such pendency, parties are permitted to openly defy operative directions, the administration of justice would descend into chaos and anarchy. The law does not countenance such audacity.”
Absolutely right! Why more than half of Judges seat even in Allahabad High Court keep lying vacant when we now see that in Supreme Court Judges strength has been increased and all vacancies have also been filled?
West UP Still Without Even a Circuit Bench
Above all, still Centre for undisclosed reasons is most dead determined never to allow even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench in West UP which has more population than majority of States in India except UP of which it is part and Bihar and Maharashtra and owes for majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court and still most strangely has not even a Circuit Bench for nearly 80 years of independence!
Such a rotten state of affairs in judiciary itself in distribution of High Courts and High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches deserves to be lit fire at the earliest because it is making the biggest mockery of Constitution but also of poorest litigants of West UP and those places where High Court Bench is being denied unfairly!
This is the most biggest stain on Indian judiciary and yet lies unwashed since so many decades nor those who are culpable for master minding such sinister discrimination perpetrated without anyone ever being held accountable by even Supreme Court!
Key Concerns Regarding the Demand for a High Court Bench in West UP
- West UP has a population larger than many Indian States.
- The region contributes a majority share of pending cases before the Allahabad High Court.
- No High Court Bench or Circuit Bench has been established in the region despite nearly 80 years of independence.
- Litigants continue to face enormous travel expenses and hardship.
- The issue remains unresolved despite repeated demands and recommendations.
Contrasting Treatment with Other Regions
Now Karnataka State Government has recommended for creation of Circuit Bench in Mangaluru for just 3 districts but for 30 districts of West UP we saw that UP CM Yogi Adityanath recommended to Allahabad High Court for creation of a High Court Bench in West UP in January 2024 only to withdraw the recommendation the very next day!
It is lack of political will that West UP has been most mercilessly deprived from having even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench!
When more than Rs 42 crore can be spent for linking Allahabad to Meerut by Ganga Super Expressway then why can’t a very small amount be spared for creating a High Court Bench in West UP?
Comparison of the Situations
| Region | Proposal | Coverage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mangaluru (Karnataka) | Circuit Bench | 3 Districts | Recommended by State Government |
| West UP | High Court Bench | 30 Districts | Recommendation Withdrawn |
Dire Need for a High Court Bench in West UP
Practically speaking, the dire need for a High Court Bench in West UP cannot be overstated!
Perhaps the most telling part is that the only lesson Centre is learning from history on this count is that it is refusing to learn any lesson even after the partition of UP in 2000 on this very ground of litigants encountering huge problems, expenses in travelling all the way till Allahabad most foolishly!
Why is Centre quavering in an “open and shut” case like setting up of a High Court Bench in West UP?
Law Commission Recommendations Ignored
This is the way in which judiciary is functioning in a democratic country like India that despite 230th Report of Law Commission of India headed by eminent legal jurist and former Supreme Court Judge Late Hon’ble Dr AR Lakshmanan having recommended 17 years ago creation of High Court Benches in States has been restricted to just few States with big States like UP, Rajasthan, Bihar and Orissa left in the lurch which is the biggest national disgrace!
States Facing the Bench Deficit
| State | Issue Highlighted |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Demand for additional High Court Benches remains unresolved |
| Rajasthan | Limited Bench distribution concerns |
| Bihar | Lack of adequate High Court Bench infrastructure |
| Orissa | Long-standing demand for additional Bench facilities |
Need for Supreme Court Intervention
Adding fuel to fire is that even media and national news channels and national newspapers rarely ever accord it any primacy in reporting this!
It is high time and Supreme Court must act now and put a complete full stop to the most merciless discrimination perpetrated in distribution of High Court and High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches in different States and different regions with impunity without any prima facie reason for such most merciless discrimination for so long unhindered!
No denying it!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col (Retd) BPS Sirohi, A - 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera, Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.
