Most Autocratic Denial of High Court Bench to West UP

It is not democratic but is most autocratic that the most populated State of India that is Uttar Pradesh which has maximum number of pending cases among all States even after partition of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000 and still has just one High Court Bench in Lucknow so close to Allahabad High Court for just few districts and nowhere else which is absolutely unbelievable and West UP despite owing for majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court being denied even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench is most autocratic denial of a High Court Bench to West UP for 80 years after India became independent in 1947 and as if this was not enough attached litigants of 30 districts of West UP with not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad to seek justice which is most baffling indeed!

Worst of all, even when UP was undivided then also the litigants of hilly areas of undivided UP had to travel most astoundingly thousands of kilometers all the way till Allahabad to seek justice which in itself is the biggest betrayal of Constitution which stands for equality as fundamental right as envisaged in Article 14 of Constitution, biggest burial of justice and worst mockery of poorest litigants of hilly areas of undivided UP which ultimately led to huge agitations and many people sacrificed their precious lives and then separate Statehood itself and separate High Court for hilly areas of undivided UP which as long as it formed part of undivided UP did not have even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench 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!

Most chillingly, even the Supreme Court never dared to take suo motu cognizance of it and press which is considered the fourth pillar of Indian democracy also maintained a conspicuous deafening silence on it and hardly ever accorded prime coverage to it!

Centre Biggest Stumbling Block for West UP Bench

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. Centre’s decision to deprive West UP from having even a single High Court Bench is bereft of any logic.

For the exclusive benefit and indulgence of my esteemed readers, let me now lay bare that Uttar Pradesh falls in how many regions or economic divisions and districts included in them. They are as follows:-

Uttar Pradesh Regions and Districts

Western Division (Paschimanchal – 30 Districts)

• Saharanpur
• Muzaffarnagar
• Bijnor
• Rampur
• Budaun
• Mathura
• Etah
• Bareilly
• Pilibhit
• Shahjahanpur
• Firozabad
• Agra
• Mainpuri
• Baghpat
• Meerut
• Amroha
• Moradabad
• Gautam Buddha Nagar
• Ghaziabad
• Bulandshahr
• Hathras
• Aligarh
• Kannauj
• Farrukhabad
• Auraiya
• Etawah
• Kasganj
• Hapur
• Sambhal
• Shamli

Central Division (Madhyanchal – 10 Districts)

• Lakhimpur Kheri
• Hardoi
• Sitapur
• Barabanki
• Lucknow
• Unnao
• Rae Bareli
• Kanpur Dehat
• Kanpur Nagar
• Fatehpur

Bundelkhand Division (7 Districts)

• Mahoba
• Hamirpur
• Chitrakoot
• Banda
• Jalaun
• Jhansi
• Lalitpur

Eastern Division (Purvanchal – 28 Districts)

• Ambedkar Nagar
• Ayodhya
• Siddharthnagar
• Basti
• Maharajganj
• Gorakhpur
• Kushinagar
• Deoria
• Mau
• Azamgarh
• Ballia
• Bhadohi
• Varanasi
• Jaunpur
• Sonbhadra
• Mirzapur
• Kaushambi
• Prayagraj
• Balrampur
• Gonda
• Chandauli
• Shravasti
• Bahraich
• Sant Kabir Nagar
• Sultanpur
• Ghazipur
• Pratapgarh
• Amethi

Source Reference

(Source: Sam Samayik Ghatna Chakra Uttar Pradesh At A Glance 2026 on page 81 published from Allahabad)

Centre: Biggest Stumbling Block for 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?

Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju Supports West UP Bench Demand

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 to 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 Centre be seen to be sitting on the fence on this most compelling issue?

Justice Jaswant Singh Commission Recommendation and Centre's Delay

By any reckoning, Centre needs to remove the albatross from around its neck of West UP cannot have a High Court Bench despite so deserving as was recommended also by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself who recommended a permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP about 50 years ago yet not even a single High Court Circuit Bench created in last about 80 years of independence since 1947!

How long will 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?

Key Issues Highlighted

Major Questions Raised

• Why does more than half of Judges seat in Allahabad High Court continue to remain vacant?
• How long will the demand for a High Court Bench in West UP remain pending?
• Why has the recommendation of the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission not been implemented?
• How long will litigants from 30 districts of West UP continue to suffer due to the absence of a Bench?
• Why has not even a single High Court Circuit Bench been created in West UP since Independence?

Centre Accountability for West UP High Court Bench

Truly speaking, the prominent view is that 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! Centre needs to think hard and deep that why it has so irrationally deprived West UP from having even a single Bench? How long will 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 and absolutely unbelievable!

Implementation of Law Commission Recommendations

It must be asked: Why 230th Report of Law Commission of India which recommended creation of High Court Benches in different States not implemented even after 17 years of its recommendation? High Court Benches are the life blood of democracy for providing justice to people at doorsteps yet only five elite States have multiple High Court Benches! This is the real rub!

Key Concerns Raised

• Non-implementation of the 230th Report of the Law Commission of India.
• Lack of a High Court Bench in West UP despite long-standing demands.
• Unequal distribution of High Court Benches across States.
• Limited public debate on the issue at the national level.

Role of Apex Court and National Media

Plainly speaking, it must be asked: Why Apex Court has never held Centre accountable for it? Why national news channels never debate on it? Why most of national newspapers never publish any editorial on this hot-button issue which will portray Centre in poor spotlight as it is primarily culpable for this most atrocious discrimination perpetrated with impunity by not doing anything worthwhile to end it or even contain it?

It is gut wrenching to see how national media has never deemed it fit to ever highlight it nationally and kept mollycoddling Centre most shamelessly by giving it no space anywhere not even in the margins!

Demand for Suo Motu Cognizance

Let me put it this way: It is high time that Apex Court takes suo motu cognizance of this most third rated merciless discrimination and hold Centre accountable for it!

Why only five elite States – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and West Bengal have multiple High Court Benches and on what basis? Except Maharashtra, the population of all States which have multiple High Court Benches is less than even West UP and still deprived from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench! What is happening in our country?

States With Multiple High Court Benches Mentioned

Constitutional Duty of Centre

To sum it up, Centre has to deliver now! The central question here is: How can Centre abdicate its constitutional duty to ensure that the worst discrimination that has been perpetrated in distribution of High Court Benches in different States and different regions is brought to an end altogether?

How can Apex Court also refuse to take suo motu cognizance of it which directly pertains to judiciary itself?

Article 14 and Right to Equality

All told, there is absolutely just no doubt that our highest court has mostly always stood up for its citizens and upheld the Constitution. One fondly hopes that Apex Court will take suo motu cognizance of it at the earliest as it is a blatant violation of Article 14 of Constitution which envisages right to equality as a fundamental right yet most unfortunately on this count lies in tatters!

Main Points of Objection

• West UP continues to be deprived of a High Court Bench.
• No Circuit Bench has been established for the region.
• The issue is presented as a violation of the principle of equality under Article 14.
• There is a call for judicial and governmental intervention.

My objection against Centre’s discriminatory approach stands and shall always stand as long as Centre does not end its dead determination of depriving West UP from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench!

Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col (Retd) BPS Sirohi, A - 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera, Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh