By Sanjeev Sirohi
MEERUT: The long-pending demand for a High Court Bench in western Uttar Pradesh (West UP) has once again gathered momentum, with lawyers announcing a complete shutdown across the region on December 17, 2025, and a boycott of court proceedings from December 15 to 17. The agitation is aimed at protesting what lawyers describe as “nearly eight decades of injustice” to litigants and the legal fraternity of West UP.
Leaders of various Bar Associations said litigants from West UP are forced to travel hundreds of kilometres to Allahabad (Prayagraj) and, in some cases, Lucknow, to seek justice. While Uttar Pradesh has two High Court seats—at Prayagraj and Lucknow—both are located in eastern and central parts of the state, leaving West UP, one of the most populous and economically significant regions, without a single bench.
“The hardship is not merely financial, ” said a senior advocate from Meerut. “It is mental and physical torture for poor litigants, senior citizens, women and undertrials, who have to repeatedly travel long distances for hearings. Justice becomes inaccessible.”
Lawyers pointed out that the demand is backed by the recommendations of the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission, headed by a former Supreme Court judge and appointed by the Centre. The commission had recommended up to three High Court benches for undivided Uttar Pradesh, including a permanent bench for West UP at Agra, nearly 50 years ago. It also suggested circuit benches for the hilly regions of the then undivided state. However, none of these recommendations were implemented.
The failure to establish benches, lawyers argue, contributed to growing resentment that ultimately led to the creation of Uttarakhand 25 years ago, which now has its own High Court. “Even after the state’s partition, West UP continues to be ignored, ” they said.
Drawing comparisons, lawyers noted that Maharashtra was granted an additional bench at Aurangabad for just seven districts despite already having benches at Nagpur and Panaji. Similarly, benches were created at Madurai in Tamil Nadu and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal for relatively smaller regions. “Tamil Nadu’s population is far less than even West UP alone, yet it has multiple benches, ” a Bar leader said.
Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, is India’s largest state by population, with over 26 crore people, 76 districts, 80 Lok Sabha constituencies and 404 MLAs. It also has the highest number of pending cases—over 11 lakh—in the Allahabad High Court. According to the Justice Jaswant Singh Commission, about 57 per cent of these cases originated from West UP. More recently, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Laxmi Kant Vajpayee stated in Parliament that West UP accounts for nearly 63 per cent of the state’s pending cases, renewing the demand for benches at Meerut and Agra.
Lawyers further highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has close to one crore cases pending in lower courts, the highest number of judges and judicial vacancies, and the world’s largest Bar Council, with over three lakh members. Yet, access to higher judiciary remains limited. They recalled the shocking murder of former UP Bar Council chairperson Darvesh Yadav inside court premises in Agra in 2019 as a grim reminder of the stresses and challenges faced by the legal community in the region.
West UP, they said, also figures prominently in crime statistics, communal violence, human rights complaints and undertrial populations, making timely and accessible justice even more crucial.
Adding to the irony, Uttar Pradesh now has 21 airports, including five international airports—one of them at Noida in West UP. “For foreigners, connectivity is excellent. For Indian litigants, there is not even one nearby High Court bench, ” lawyers remarked.
The protesting lawyers have appealed to the Centre to act without further delay, warning that continued neglect will deepen public resentment. “The facts are irrefutable, ” they said. “All we are asking for is equal access to justice.”
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col (Retd) BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.