Within 15 days of swearing in, we will call meeting of Central High Court Bench Establishment Action Committee and by consensus chalk out strategy to make this High Court Bench movement more stronger and more effective. Within three months will meet PM to ensure that the High Court Bench is set up in West UP within an year. It is undeniable fact that the creation of High Court Bench in West UP will encourage youth who are lawyers to work more harder and their progress will be much more rapid.

- Hon’ble Mr Narendra Sharma who apart from his many other priorities like ensuring the protection of advocates from harassment by police which he announced while focusing topmost on the long pending Bench issue in West UP while declaring his intention to contest for the prestigious post of President of Meerut Bar Association made sure that the setting up of High Court Bench in West UP would be his topmost priority!

Nothing on earth can give me more happiness than the fact that, in the forthcoming elections scheduled for the Meerut Bar Association to elect new office bearers, the Chairman of the High Court Bench Mission, Hon’ble Mr. Narendra Sharma, has decided to contest for the prestigious post of President of the Meerut Bar Association. Mr. Sharma is not only an eminent, learned, distinguished, and senior lawyer of the Meerut Bar Association with decades of vast experience in diverse fields of law but also the Chairman of the High Court Bench Mission, which has played a pivotal role over many decades in popularizing the need for a High Court Bench among people in rural and other areas.

After being strongly urged by his many supporters, Mr. Sharma has thrown his hat into the ring to be in a better position to effectively advocate for this cause. He represents the 22 districts of West UP, which stand united under the banner of the Central Action Committee (termed in Hindi as Kendriya Sangharsh Samiti), established decades ago to relentlessly pursue the sacred agitation for a High Court Bench in West UP.

This demand has persisted since the Centre failed to create even a single High Court Bench in West UP, despite the recommendation of the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission—headed by a former Supreme Court judge appointed by the Centre itself—nearly 50 years ago. The commission unequivocally proposed a permanent High Court Bench for West UP in undivided UP and two circuit Benches for the hilly areas. However, this recommendation was ignored during the tenure of the late Mrs. Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister.

This neglect stands in stark contrast to states like Maharashtra, which already had multiple High Court Benches at Nagpur and Panaji but was given an additional one at Aurangabad. Such disparity is unjustified, particularly given that Uttar Pradesh leads the nation in the number of pending cases. Within UP, West UP accounts for the majority of these cases, a fact acknowledged by the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission. Despite having a population exceeding 10 crores, West UP still lacks a single High Court Bench.

How can anyone deny that none other than the late Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose 100th birth anniversary was celebrated on December 25 across the nation, had, in 1986, most forcefully demanded the establishment of a High Court Bench in West UP while addressing Parliament as the Leader of the Opposition? Even former Prime Minister late Mr. Rajiv Gandhi supported the idea of setting up a High Court Bench in West UP. However, the issue was left unaddressed due to disagreements over whether the Bench should be located in Meerut or Agra.

Even the late former Prime Minister, Mr. Chaudhary Charan Singh, expressed regret during his lifetime that he could not persuade the Central Government to establish even a single High Court Bench in any part of Uttar Pradesh outside Lucknow. This was despite Lucknow's proximity to Allahabad, where a Bench was unnecessary. He also lamented his inability to convince the Centre to attach litigants from the 30 districts of Western UP and the hilly regions of undivided UP to Lucknow, which is more than 230 km closer than Allahabad. Instead, the Centre has consistently ensured their attachment to Allahabad, compelling them to undertake long and arduous journeys to seek justice. This arrangement constitutes one of the greatest injustices, a betrayal of constitutional values, and a mockery of the plight of poor litigants, many of whom come from impoverished farming families in Western UP. The Centre’s apathy in this matter is deeply troubling.

It is worth noting that as early as 1955, the late former Chief Minister of UP, Sampoornanand, recommended the establishment of a High Court Bench in Meerut. However, his proposal was overruled by the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Former Chief Minister Mayawati also supported the idea of partitioning UP and creating Western UP as a separate state, echoing the views of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who had also advocated for statehood for Western UP. Yet, despite its population surpassing that of many Indian states, Western UP has not been granted even a single High Court Bench.

It is incomprehensible why the Central Government remains so adamant in denying Western UP its rightful demand for a High Court Bench, especially when prominent leaders have championed this cause. For instance, Dr. Satyapal Singh, a former Union Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet and a former Mumbai Police Commissioner, demanded two High Court Benches for Western UP at Meerut and Agra in Parliament in September 2016. Similarly, Union Minister Mr. Sanjeev Baliyan has called for separate statehood for Western UP, and Union Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh has supported the demand for a High Court Bench in Western UP on several occasions. The continued denial of even one Bench to Western UP for nearly 80 years is a profound injustice for which the Centre bears full responsibility.

The Centre cannot abdicate its duty to address this issue. It is not some powerless entity incapable of taking necessary steps to facilitate the creation of a High Court Bench in Western UP. Such a move would alleviate the burden on litigants who currently endure the grueling task of traveling overnight and for half a day—not just to Lucknow, which has had a Bench since July 1948 and is 230 km closer, but all the way to Allahabad, which is 700 to 750 km away from most districts. This relentless travel to seek justice undermines the very principles of justice and the Constitution.

Why has the Centre ignored the issue of establishing a Bench in Western UP for over 78 years, while creating a Bench in Lucknow in 1948, despite Allahabad’s proximity? This glaring discrepancy demands an explanation from the Centre.

Which individual in their right mind or any political party that truly believes in the principles of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution would ever justify the denial of even a single High Court Bench to Western Uttar Pradesh (West UP)? This is especially egregious given that West UP accounts for more than half of the total pending cases in Uttar Pradesh—a fact acknowledged by the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission, appointed by the Central Government itself. Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, also has the highest number of pending cases among all states, yet West UP remains mercilessly deprived of a single High Court Bench.

Why is it that only Eastern Uttar Pradesh has been equipped with both the High Court in Allahabad and a Bench in Lucknow, located so close to Allahabad? Meanwhile, litigants from West UP are not even assigned to Lucknow but have to travel all the way to Allahabad to seek justice—a situation that constitutes a grave injustice in itself. This denial of a High Court Bench in West UP not only undermines the constitutional principle of equality but also shatters any semblance of fairness in Indian politics.

Despite the fact that West UP accounts for the majority of cases in Uttar Pradesh, and despite the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission's recommendation for a permanent High Court Bench in the region, no action has been taken. In contrast, Maharashtra, which already has multiple High Court Benches in Nagpur and Panaji, saw the establishment of yet another Bench in Aurangabad. This is despite Maharashtra ranking at the top of the State Justice Index, while Uttar Pradesh and Bihar consistently rank much lower. Yet, the Central Government has not favored additional High Court Benches in Uttar Pradesh or even a single Bench in West UP or Bihar.

How long will affordable justice at the doorstep remain a pipe dream for the more than 10 crore people of West UP?

Former Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal commendably recommended the creation of a High Court Bench in West UP, yet his proposal was not implemented because then-Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav did not endorse it. It is abundantly clear which state needs more High Court Benches and which does not. However, the most unpalatable truth remains that neither any Chief Justice of India nor any Prime Minister of India has taken substantial initiative in the last 80 years of independence to correct the colossal blunder committed in 1948.

By establishing only one High Court Bench for Uttar Pradesh—in Lucknow, a location already close to Allahabad—the system has perpetuated a grave injustice. Litigants from 30 districts in West UP are forced to travel, not just to Lucknow (230 kilometers closer), but all the way to Allahabad, covering an average of 700–800 kilometers, often through the night and half the following day. This situation represents a blatant betrayal of the Constitution and the principles of justice.

How long will this most unfortunate reality persist?

We must be open about it. We can’t change the system unless we talk openly about it. There is no point in pushing this under the carpet. It is nothing but plain stupidity and sheer absurdity of the highest order that West UP owing for majority of the cases of UP has not even a single Bench and Eastern UP alone has both High Court and a single Bench so near to each other!

One is totally clueless on the rationale behind denying West UP even a single Bench inspite of owing for majority of pending cases of UP! Abolish all the high court benches in India if West UP cannot be given bench because West UP which owes for majority of pending cases not just in Uttar Pradesh but even in any other region of India and in any other State also and Centre till date has not created even a single other than the one so near to Allahabad at Lucknow in Eastern UP and worst of all attached 30 districts of West UP with not even Lucknow but with Allahabad which is 230 km away from even Lucknow due to which litigants of West UP have to travel 700 to 800 km on average all the way whole night and half day till Allahabad to seek justice which in itself is the biggest betrayal and biggest murder of Constitution and justice as it throttles the basic right of litigants of West UP to get justice at doorsteps! But no one in power in Centre really cares about it! This is the real rub!

In conclusion, the only solace is that in the elections in different Bars of West UP, we see that High Court Bench issue carries primary weightage and Hon’ble Mr Narendra Sharma who is contesting for the prestigious post of President of Meerut Bar Association this time which has always led from the front in most vocally raising this compelling issue has been most firm in declaring clearly that his High Court Bench Mission will not stop unless and until a High Court Bench is created in West UP! His winning elections is imperative! Voters must certainly elect him!

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