It is known all too well even though many still don’t know that a permanent seat of High Court Bench for Lucknow in Central UP for just very few districts not even in double digits when created way back in July 1948 so close to Allahabad High Court without dishing any frivolous excuses like we have been seeing since last more than five decades for West UP with 30 districts and more than 10 crore people which is maximum districts among all regions of UP and owes for majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court and as if this was not enough contributes maximum to State’s economy about 75 to 80 percent and the reward it has got is not even a single permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP nor even a Circuit Bench in West UP! To top it all, the litigants of West UP have been attached with not even Lucknow which falls much earlier but right uptill Allahabad which is biggest betrayal of Constitution, biggest national disgrace 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 most unfortunate partition of Uttar Pradesh 26 years ago as people had to travel thousands of kilometers all the way till Allahabad and even though Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself recommended about 50 years ago two Circuit Benches for hilly areas of undivided UP at Dehradun and Nainital yet not even a single created most atrociously just like a permanent seat of High Court Bench recommended for West UP at Agra yet not even a Circuit Bench created anywhere till date! Only time will tell when the endless wait for even a single High Court Bench in West UP ever end? Former President of Supreme Court Bar Association MN Krishnamani had very categorically stated that, “Only by the creation of a Bench of High Court in West UP will the people be able to secure justice.”
We saw how Centre gave separate statehood itself with separate High Court to Telangana with just 3.5 crore people in June 2014 and so also earlier also to many States like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh among others whose population is more than 6 or 7 crore less than West UP and still have separate High Court! Karnataka with just 6 crore people were given two High Court Benches for just 4 and 8 districts at Dharwad and Gulbarga in 2008 itself and now Bench recommended for Mangaluru for just 3 districts! 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 and nowhere else not even when UP was undivided?
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 just like being the biggest litigator has denigrated its reputation. Centre’s decision to deprive West UP from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit 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:-
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 and Shamli.
Central Division (Madhyanchal – 10 districts) – Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Sitapur, Barabanki, Lucknow, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar and Fatehpur.
Bundelkhand Division (7 districts) – Mahoba, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Jalaun, Jhansi and 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 and Amethi.
(Source: Sam Samayik Ghatna Chakra Uttar Pradesh At A Glance 2026 on page 81 published from Allahabad)
I am completely fed up and most utterly disgusted to see since last 25 years that I have been in Meerut in West UP how the lawyers of West UP have been most relentlessly agitating for the most sacred, most legitimate and most compelling demand for creation of a High Court Bench in West UP but to no avail! The lawyers of West UP went on complete strike for 6 months sacrificing their own livelihood when I just landed in Meerut for creation of a High Court Bench in West UP and again for 6 months in 2014-15 apart from strike every Saturday since last more than 45 years and many times even on Wednesday some years ago still no action we witnessed on ground most astoundingly! It is hard not to conclude that Centre has been most deadly biased and has left no stone unturned to ensure that West UP is deprived from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench while simultaneously not allowing even an year to pass after independence to create a single High Court Bench for whole of undivided UP at Lucknow so close to Allahabad High Court in July 1948 and worst of all attached litigants of 30 districts of West UP and hilly areas of undivided UP with not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad!
It is a matter of supreme irony that the most populated State of India that is Uttar Pradesh which tops the State list with maximum number of pending cases more than 12 lakhs as conceded by President of 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 for majority of pending cases of 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 uptill Allahabad to seek justice which in itself is the biggest betrayal of Constitution, deepest burial of justice and worst mockery of poorest litigants of 30 districts of West UP who have to travel whole night and nearly a day by train about 700 to 800 km on average most shockingly! From a legal standpoint, it is UP which tops the State list in having maximum number of pending cases and so also has maximum population more than 25 crores and here too it is West UP which owes for majority of pending cases of UP and still leave alone High Court or permanent seat of High Court Bench has not even a Circuit Bench as Centre is just not ready to concede most disgracefully! I often find myself battling with a moot question: Why is Centre so hell bent in denying West UP even a single Bench and thwarting all chances of creating even a Circuit Bench most spinelessly without any remorse or regret?
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!
From what is mentioned hereinabove, it is as clear as broad daylight that West UP has maximum districts – 30, owes for majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court and contributes maximum to State’s economy yet the people residing in West UP have been most unfairly deprived from having even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit 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. 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?
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?
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?
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?
To say the very least, the denial of even a single High Court Bench to West UP on flimsy grounds is patently ludicrous! When Centre can 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 we see that it has not even a single High Court Bench nor even a Circuit Bench, to say the very least!
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 42000 crore can be spent straightaway for linking Allahabad to Meerut by Ganga Super Expressway then why the hell can’t a very small amount be spared for creating 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 partition of UP in 2000 on this very ground of litigants encountering huge problem 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?
It is well worth asking: How long will Centre deprive West UP from having even a single Bench most shamelessly on most flimsy grounds? The most distressing stark truth is: Centre is just not ready to budge on this and national media is least bothered to ever give it any coverage and Apex Court is just not ready to take suo motu cognizance of it! This is the nub of the matter!
The truth of the matter is: Centre has most unabashedly perpetrated such merciless, most absurd discrimination which I most strongly feel is a national disgrace! Many decades ago, UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon while in office had slammed UP as “rape and crime capital” of India still why UP has just one High Court Bench so close to Allahabad High Court and nowhere else! It must be stated unhesitatingly that Centre has been most biased in discriminating when it comes to big States like UP and Rajasthan which have just one and so also other big States like Orissa and Bihar which have none!
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? Why Apex Court has never held Centre accountable for it? Why national news channels never debate on it? Why most of national newspapers fight shy to 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?
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?
To sum it up, Centre has to deliver now! 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? There is 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 at least now boldly 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!
Sanjeev Sirohi,