By Sanjeev Sirohi
“Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”– Winston Churchill
While speaking at the inaugural speech of the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan (Old Parliament House) on January 15, 2026, PM Narendra Modi said most plainly that, “In India, democracy delivers. That’s because here the people’s aspirations and hopes are given priority. To remove all hurdles in their way, we have democratized everything from process to technology. This democratic spirit is in our blood, mind and in our culture.” The moot question that crops up immediately in my mind on hearing this is: Why we see no democratic spirit in our country in the distribution of High Courts and High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches in different States and different regions in our country? Who is masterminding such blind, brutal, baseless and blatant discrimination perpetrated in distribution of High Court Benches in different States and different regions?
It is completely inexcusable that Centre keeps on inventing flimsy excuses to deny West UP, Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Orissa and Bihar even a single High Court Bench not even a Circuit Bench! Most of all, democracy in India has become a farce when it comes to distribution of High Court and High Court Benches in different States and different regions and most merciless discrimination being perpetrated openly has become the order of the day most shamelessly in India! The approach of Centre has been utterly disgusting to resolve this long lingering issue which is why we don’t see any solution since last about 80 years of independence! The jury is still out on whether Centre will ever act and approve a High Court Bench in West UP, Bihar, Orissa and other needy regions and States!
Over and above everything else, what stands out most glaringly is Centre’s open unjustified reluctance to do anything worthwhile in this regard to mitigate the endless sufferings being faced by people in all those regions where there is no Bench! It is really most devastating to watch how Centre has rode roughshod over the most legitimate demand for High Court Bench in different regions like West UP and has perpetrated most merciless discrimination with impunity without ever being held accountable by anyone despite being the largest democratic country in the world! Why even press which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy never bothers to highlight it most prominently to draw the attention of the world in this regard? Centre needs to recall the famous quote attributed to eminent mathematician – Pythogoras of Greece that, “There is nothing so easy but that it becomes difficult when you do it reluctantly.” How Centre is able to ensure multiple High Court Benches only for five States in India without any bona fide reason to justify it? Why does it allow it?
What I find most distressing, disturbing and denigrating is that the BJP which once flaunted the much vaunted tagline “party with a difference” most pompously which I also believed has proved itself to be biggest carbon copy of Congress in ensuring that big States like UP and Rajasthan are deprived without fail from having multiple High Court Benches and so also Bihar and Orissa from having even a single Bench not even a single Circuit Bench most astoundingly! Why Centre since 1947 till date irrespective of which party is in power in Centre is most dead determined to strictly enforce its one-point agenda – Never allow big States like UP and Rajasthan to have multiple High Court Benches at any cost and so also other big States like lawless Bihar and Orissa from having even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench? Is this is what is called democratic style of functioning? This is not a figment of imagination but the most unpalatable truth which Indian media never discusses for myriad reasons known best to them which has to be most strongly condemned!
This is akin to UN Security Council which has five permanent members since 1945 till date – USA, UK, Russia, France and China and despite so many changes not even a single nation among the nearly 200 countries as member made permanent despite India staking its claims again and again due to India contributing so much to UN and being the biggest democratic country in world! Similarly we see in India, Centre has taken the most firm resolve to ensure multiple High Court Benches for only five elite States – Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Assam out of 28 States kicking out most deserving States like UP, Rajasthan, Bihar and Orissa even though the route to power in Centre passes maximum through UP and these States as Centre most strongly feel that they just don’t deserve it even though 230th Report of the Law Commission of India most strongly recommended creation of more High Court Benches in States not just five States as we see most unfortunately right now! India has no moral right to demand a permanent seat in UN Security Council by breaking the exclusive monopoly of 5 big countries without itself breaking most unjustified monopoly of five elite States in having multiple High Court Benches!
If one look at the whole picture, we see that it reflects a far deeper malaise which now no more can be hidden from public gaze any longer. How long will Centre keep downplaying the most legitimate and compelling demand for a High Court Bench in West UP and so also in Orissa and Bihar and some other States? This is a stark reminder of how much Centre discriminates most ruthlessly yet is never held accountable even by top court! Why Apex Court never takes Centre to task for it?
Does it make any sense that the most populated State of India with maximum number of pending cases that is Uttar Pradesh has only one High Court Bench in Lucknow so close to Allahabad created in July 1948 and nowhere else even in January 2026? It is most shocking that UP which is among the largest States, has maximum population – more than 26 crore as CM Yogi Adityanath and so also PM Narendra Modi always so very proudly claims which means more than even Pakistan at 25 crores, maximum districts – 76, maximum constituencies – 80, maximum MPs – 80, maximum MLAs – 404, maximum PM including Narendra Modi who represents Varanasi as an MP, maximum pending cases – more than 11 lakh in Allahabad High Court and here too West UP accounts for more than half of pending cases as noted by Justice Jaswant Commission about 57% and now after so many decades the percentage of pending cases in West UP has gone substantially much higher with Dr Laxmi Kant Vajpayee who is Rajya Sabha MP of BJP while demanding two High Court Benches in Parliament for West UP at Meerut and Agra pointing out that West UP owes for 63 percent of pending cases of UP and two High Court Benches at Gorakhpur and Varanasi, maximum cases in lower courts about to touch 1 crore, maximum Judges both in High Court – 160 and also in lower courts, maximum vacancies of Judges both in High Court and also in lower courts, maximum members in UP Bar Council more than 3 lakh and which is also the largest Bar Council in the world as claimed in the website itself of UP Bar Council yet the former Chairman of UP Bar Council – Darvesh Yadav who was the first woman to get appointed to this post was murdered cold blooded right in court premises in Agra which is again in West UP on June 12, 2019 by pumping bullets on her head and stomach, maximum poverty, maximum villages more than one lakh the exact number being 107040, maximum gram panchayats at 74626, maximum fake encounters killings, maximum official encounters more than 15,000 from 2017 till date, maximum custody killings, maximum dowry cases, maximum bride burning cases, maximum cases of human rights violations, maximum robberies, maximum dacoities, maximum cases of crime, loot, arson and riots and here too West UP tops with Saharanpur riots, Meerut riots, Muzaffarnagar riots tarnishing our international reputation to the extent that former UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon termed UP as “crime and rape capital” of India and just recently we see after Bahraich even Fatehpur and now most recently even Bareilly in West UP coming in news for shameless communal disturbances most recently, maximum undertrials in all age groups and what not yet Centre till now in January 2026 from July 1948 when a Bench was created in Lucknow which is so close to Allahabad and where it was just not needed at all is not prepared to create even a single bench for not just West UP but for the entire UP nor even ready to attach 30 districts of West UP with more than 10 crore population which is more than majority of States with Lucknow which falls earlier than Allahabad! Not only just this, Uttar Pradesh has maximum number of airports – 21 and maximum international airports – 5 at Lucknow, Kushinagar, Ayodhya, Varanasi and Noida in West UP still only one High Court Bench at Lucknow so close to Allahabad High Court and litigants of West UP attached with not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad so far away most stupidly and most atrociously! For foreigners maximum facility of maximum airports in Uttar Pradesh but for litigants of West UP, Purvanchal and Bundelkhand not even a single High Court Bench just like we see in Bihar and Orissa and many other States by which Indians will gain most and not foreigners! How can Centre ever deny, distort or dispute such most irrefutable facts that stare us in face since last about 80 years?
On 17 December, 2025 there was complete shutdown of West UP and lawyers of West UP also boycotted court proceedings from December 15 to December 17 in protest against West UP not being given even a single High Court Bench since last about 80 years just like many times earlier even though West UP contributes maximum to State’s economy and yet litigants are made to suffer not only just financially but also mentally and physically by being made to travel most foolishly till not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad most astoundingly yet neither the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court nor the Chief Justice of India nor any Judge of Allahabad High Court or Supreme Court ever bother to take suo motu cognizance of this open dacoity and worst discrimination perpetrated in judiciary itself right under the nose of Apex Court and Allahabad High Court! How can Centre jettison most shamelessly the most legitimate and most compelling demand for a High Court Bench in West UP? This despite the most irrefutable fact that Dr BR Ambedkar recommended separate Statehood itself for West UP and separate High Court and Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP about 50 years ago yet not even a single High Court Circuit Bench created till date even though more than 63 percent of pending cases are from West UP and so many Chief Minister like Dr Sampoornanand in 1954 and so also ND Tiwari, Mayawati among others have recommended creation of a separate High Court Bench in West UP from time to time and even Hansraj Bhardwaj as Union Law Minister of India in 1986 had recommended creation of High Court Bench in West UP but nothing done absolutely in this direction on ground which is crippling the litigants of West UP from all aspects yet neither Allahabad High Court nor Apex Court ever bother to take suo motu cognizance of it! This is undoubtedly most disgraceful and most disgusting indeed!
The inescapable truth is: Why is Supreme Court sleeping over it since independence till now after nearly 80 years? The time for Apex Court to hedge and equivocate is over! Why Apex Court has utterly failed to stand up and bat for multiple High Court Benches in big States like UP and Rajasthan which have only one each and so also for other big States like Bihar and Orissa where there is not even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench which is truly incomprehensible?
Why Apex Court never objects to this most despicable, dastardly and divisive discrimination that has been perpetrated in judiciary itself for so long? Why such a raw, rotten, ruthless and rampant discrimination has been permitted by the top court to happen at the first instance? Why 230th Report of the Law Commission of India prepared under Chairmanship of eminent jurist and former Supreme Court Judge – Dr AR Lakshmanan and submitted more than 16 years ago on creation of High Court Benches in States not implemented uniformly?
Why Apex Court never objects to this most atrocious discrimination that has been perpetrated in judiciary itself and keeps giving judgment on equality in different matters but never says a word on it? Is this democratic or dictatorship style of functioning? All these questions are a clear pointer to the inexplicable manner in which most horrendous discrimination perpetrated in distribution of High Court Benches has been legitimized most horribly which culminated in partition of UP in 2000 as people of hilly areas had to travel thousands of kilometers most astoundingly all the way till Allahabad and despite Justice Jaswant Singh Commission appointed by Centre itself headed by a former Supreme Court Judge recommending two High Court Circuit Benches at Dehradun and Nainital yet not one created just like permanent seat of High Court Bench was recommended for West UP with 30 districts and more than 10 crore people yet not one created and Maharashtra which already had multiple High Court Benches at Panaji and Nagpur, one more was created at Aurangabad for just 7 districts and now one more at Kolhapur for just 6 districts!
What is Supreme Court meant for when right to equality as enshrined in Article 14 of Constitution is trampled upon most horrendously and most mercilessly by Centre by shamelessly perpetrating most third rated worst discrimination perpetrated in distribution of High Courts, High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches in different States and different regions without any rhyme or reason? The sole hegemony of few elite regions like Eastern UP having both High Court at Allahabad and a single High Court Bench at Lucknow so close to each other is continuing uninterrupted for nearly 80 years and so also few elite States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Assam in having multiple High Court Benches is continuing uninterrupted for so long and yet Supreme Court by never taking suo motu cognizance of it has disgraced itself most horribly leaving its reputation in tatters on this front! This must definitely end now!
By any reckoning, UP would never have been partitioned if Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court or Chief Justice of India had taken suo motu cognizance of open dacoity in implementation of Justice Jaswant Singh Commission Report headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself who recommended maximum three High Court Benches for undivided UP and yet not one created due to which people of hilly areas of undivided UP now Uttarakhand had to travel thousands of kilometers like a slave all the way till again Allahabad to seek justice and Maharashtra which already had multiple High Court Benches in Nagpur and Panaji was given straightaway one more at Aurangabad for just 7 districts then as recommended even though Maharashtra already had multiple High Court Benches at Nagpur and Panaji just like for Jalpaiguri in West Bengal for 5 districts which already had High Court Bench in Port Blair and so also at Madurai in Tamil Nadu even though population of Tamil Nadu is far less than even West UP! Two High Court Circuit Benches recommended by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission for hilly areas of undivided UP yet not one created which culminated in resentment brewing further and in partition of undivided UP 25 years ago and one permanent seat of High Court Bench was also recommended for West UP in Agra yet not created even after nearly 50 years
Indian democracy is sinking into worst morass because of all this and most of national media, national newspapers and so also national news channels don’t ever bring out this worst discrimination perpetrated in judiciary itself! One question keeps haunting me: How long will Centre keep on displaying cringeworthy obeisance to the most powerful vested lobby which is just bothered for its own vested interests and care two hoots for the huge sufferings which litigants of West UP face due to absence of even a Circuit Bench in West UP leave alone having a permanent Bench or separate High Court as ideally it should be as was recommended also by Dr BR Ambedkar!
It cannot be denied any longer that creation of fifth High Court Bench in Kolhapur in Maharashtra for just 6 districts with a population barely touching one crore which started functioning from 18-08-2025 while depriving West UP with 30 districts and more than 10 crore people of West UP even a single High Court Bench as recommended by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by a former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself which recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP about 50 years ago not even a Circuit Bench has opened a new Pandora’s box on how brazenly Centre is most proudly discriminating in distribution of High Court Benches in different regions and different States without any tinge of remorse or regret! This is the real rub! What leaves me completely distraught and most dejected is to see how shamelessly Centre is just not interested at all in ensuring that a High Court Bench is set up in West UP most astoundingly!
On balance, it is extremely tragic and most heart breaking to see how Centre has most perversely ensured that big States like UP and Rajasthan are deprived from having multiple High Court Benches and so also other big States like Bihar, Orissa and others don’t have even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench! Yet all the news channels never bother to ever discuss it and so also most of the national newspapers never publish any leading editorial on it! Is this democratic style of functioning or dictatorship style of functioning on this count? What bleeds my heart most of all is Supreme Court never daring to take suo motu cognizance of it even though it violates Article 14 of the Constitution nor deciding it if someone approaches as in November 2018 we saw that Apex Court conceded that creation of a High Court Bench in West UP is justified but added a rider saying that it is for Centre to decide! Does Centre stands above Constitution? Does Parliament stands above Constitution?
By the way, it cannot go unnoticed that Maharashtra is not the most populated State of India nor has maximum number of pending cases and still has so many High Court Benches – five maximum among all States with latest Bench created at Kolhapur which started functioning from August 18, 2025 while big States like UP which has maximum number of pending cases among all States and Rajasthan having only one each and lawless Bihar with more population than Maharashtra not even one just like Orissa and West UP which owes for majority of pending cases of UP has not even a single Bench! UP which has more than double the population of Maharashtra has just one and that too so close to Allahabad at Lucknow and litigants of 30 districts of West UP attached with not even Lucknow but right uptill Allahabad which means whole night and nearly a day wasted in just travelling alone about 700 to 750 km on average by train while Kolhapur and adjoining districts averages 350 to 380 km till Mumbai High Court and still one more High Court Bench in Kolhapur for just 6 districts started functioning from Aug 18, 2025! Why is Supreme Court not taking suo motu cognizance of non-implementation of Justice Jaswant Singh Commission report in West UP even after horrible partition of UP 25 years ago due to this reason only and with what face has it allowed fifth High Court Bench in Kolhapur for just 6 districts whose population is more than 10 times less than that of West UP for whom Justice Jaswant Singh Commission recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench about 50 years ago yet not even a Circuit Bench created is most startling indeed? All I am saying and submitting is: For how long will West UP be deprived from having not just a permanent seat of High Court Bench but even a Circuit Bench so spinelessly and so sinisterly by Centre with Apex Court leaving litigants of West UP at whims and fancies of Centre as we have seen since last about 80 years? This third rated discrimination that has been perpetrated flies in the face of what is enshrined in Article 14 of Constitution yet most worryingly we see that even Apex Court which is last ray of hope for the people is not taking suo motu cognizance of it!
Leave alone creating two High Court Benches in Uttar Pradesh as in Karnataka in 2008 first as High Court Circuit Benches and then in 2013 as permanent High Court Benches for just four and eight districts only at Gulbarga and Dharwad respectively, Centre for 30 districts has most appallingly kicked out the most strongest recommendation that had been made by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by a former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself for creation of High Court Bench in West UP at Agra in mid 1980s while having just no compunction to create High Court Bench in Aurangabad in Maharashtra for just 9 districts which already had multiple High Court Benches in Nagpur for just 10 districts and at Panaji for just 2 districts! As if this was not enough, we see most recently fifth High Court Bench in Maharashtra at Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra has started functioning from 18.08.2025 for just 6 districts with shockingly only just 1.64 crore people! What is happening in our country? If this is not biggest cheating by Centre in Indian history then what else is?
In 2014, we saw how Telangana with just 3.5 crore people given separate Statehood itself on June 2, 2014 and so also separate High Court at Hyderabad and separate capital and Andhra Pradesh with population of just 4 crores also given separate High Court at Amaravati after partition in 2014 and a High Court Bench also approved by State Assembly at Kurnool and another at Visakhapatnam is under active consideration! The most serious question that has bubbled up to the fore is: Why has Centre so unscrupulously denied West UP with more than 10 crore people even a single High Court Circuit Bench which deserves separate High Court as recommended by Dr BR Ambedkar who is key architect of Constitution and so also Mayawati when she was UP CM by creating West UP as a separate State? Why Centre is caring a damn for West UP, Purvanchal, Bundelkhand all in UP and so also not even a single in lawless Bihar and Orissa and some other States?
In any case, it has now definitely warmed the innermost cockles of my heart and mind to read that none other than one of the most eminent former Supreme Court Judge Hon’ble Mr Justice Markandey Katju who has himself practiced in Allahabad High Court from 1970 to 1991 with specialization in Taxation, Labour Laws and Writ Petition and is one of the most distinguished jurists that India has ever produced known all across the globe and was also appointed Acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court in August 2004 and so also was Chief Justice of Madras High Court in November 2004 and also of Delhi High Court in October 2005 has in a eye-opener blog titled: “The Demand For A Western Bench Of Allahabad HC Is Justified” published on September 24, 2025 in website named “Medium” written that, “While I do not approve of blocking roads, I believe that the demand for a bench of the Allahabad High Court in western Uttar Pradesh is fully justified. The reason is simple: litigants of western UP face a huge financial and logistical burden when they are compelled to travel all the way to Allahabad, which is in eastern UP. The Justice Jaswant Singh Committee, after studying the matter in great detail, came to the same conclusion. There are several benches of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Bombay High Court. Similarly, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, which was created in July 2004 when I was Chief Justice of that court, was established for the very same reason: litigants in southern Tamil Nadu found it prohibitively expensive and inconvenient to travel to Chennai in the north. On exactly the same logic, there is no reason why western UP should be denied a bench of the Allahabad High Court.”
Why is Centre also so infatuated with only few elite five States being granted multiple High Court Benches and on what basis? Why other States are being overlooked for having multiple High Court Benches? Why is Apex Court also never taking Centre to task for such an open discrimination that has been perpetrated in judiciary itself?
The Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court has jurisdiction now over just nine districts and initially just seven : Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Beed, Dhule, Jalna, Jalgaon, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani and when created the number of districts were even less than now just seven! It serves the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and created in 1980s as recommended by Justice Jaswant Singh Commission which recommended maximum 3 High Court Benches for undivided UP including permanent Bench for West UP yet not one created culminating in partition of Uttar Pradesh 25 years ago! Also, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has territorial jurisdiction over just ten districts of Nagpur, Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Wardha and Yavatmal. Panaji Bench of Bombay High Court has jurisdiction over mere two districts – North Goa and South Goa. The Andhra Pradesh High Court Bench at Kurnool has jurisdiction over just eight districts of Rayalaseema. The Gwalior Bench of Madhya Pradesh (MP) High Court covers only five districts – Gwalior, Shivpuri, Guna, Datia and Ashoknagar. The Indore Bench of MP High Court has jurisdiction over 13 districts of Alirajpur, Barwani, Dewas, Dhar, Indore, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Ujjain and Khargone (West Nimar). The Jalpaiguri Bench of Calcutta High Court in West Bengal has jurisdiction over only four districts – Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar. Port Blair High Court Bench of Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction not over a district but only Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Gulbarga High Court Bench of Karnataka High Court had initially jurisdiction over just four districts of Bidar, Bijapur, Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) and Raichur and then expanded to cover six districts including Yadgir and Bellary. The Dharwad Bench of Karnataka High Court has jurisdiction over just 8 districts of Bagalkot, Dharwad, Bellary, Belgaum, Gadag, Haveri, Uttara Kannada (Karwar) and Koppal districts.
It goes without saying that how much discrimination Centre is perpetrating most ruthlessly and most mercilessly is quite palpable from the most irrefutable fact that the total population of Karnataka is just 6 crore and it has separate High Court and multiple High Court Benches just like Assam with just 4 crore people and Madhya Pradesh with just 7 crore people and West UP with more than 10 crore people is being denied even a single High Court Circuit Bench! The population of Maharashtra is less than half of Uttar Pradesh’s population yet has so many High Court Benches! It is known all too well that Dr BR Ambedkar who is the key architect of Constitution had himself recommended separate Statehood itself for West UP and separate High Court and so also Justice Jaswant Singh Commission appointed by Centre itself had had recommended a separate High Court Bench for West UP only to be dumped by Centre in the nearest backyard without any remorse or regret and without assigning any credible reason!
It must be also asked: Why only a handful of elite States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Assam alone have multiple High Court Benches even though 230th Report of Law Commission of India headed by former Supreme Court Judge – Late Dr AR Lakshmanan had strongly recommended multiple High Court Benches for States most uniformly and on what basis? Who is really master minding such an atrocious, authoritarian, arbitrary, abysmal and arrogant, dastardly, dangerous third-rated discrimination between different States and different regions like we see in UP it is only Eastern UP which has both High Court at Allahabad and a High Court Bench in Lucknow? So also, Andhra Pradesh with just 7 crore population was partitioned in 2014 and Andhra Pradesh left with just 4 crore people who has created High Court Bench in Kurnool and High Court in Amaravati and one more at Vishakhapatnam is under consideration and Telangana with just 3 crore people with High Court at Hyderabad! But West UP with more than 10 crore people and owing for majority of pending cases of Allahabad High Court is being denied even a Circuit Bench for so long!
It is jaw dropping to note how irrationally Centre has deprived West UP from having even a single Bench not even a Circuit Bench! Let’s face it: West UP deserved High Court Bench since 1947 but even as 2047 is approaching fast, we see till now no light in the tunnel which has turned out to be unending so far! Why can’t Centre come out of its comfort zone and take a bold decision in this regard? Centre has its task cut out and it now needs to act most promptly in this regard!
Bluntly put: Why Centre has a deep disdain for big States like UP and Rajasthan from having multiple High Court Benches and other big States like lawless Bihar and Orissa from having even a single Bench is most baffling and truly incomprehensible indeed? What is definitely very rightly being increasingly called into question is Centre’s most partial approach on this key issue which is most gut wrenching to see because even Apex Court has not done anything tangible on this score and this is what I find most troubling which makes for most depressing reading and depicts the sorry state of affairs in our country!
Of course, what is going on in India since last about 80 years in distribution of High Courts and High Court Benches and High Court Circuit Benches in different States and different regions does not represent by any reckoning a true democratic system rather it symbolizes horrendous dictatorship of the highest order worst than what even Hitler did without being held accountable in any manner as we saw when hilly areas of undivided UP for whom Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge appointed by Centre itself had recommended two High Court Circuit Benches in Dehradun and Nainital in early 1980s yet not one created and when people agitated with many sacrificing their invaluable lives then the same Centre bestowed not just separate Statehood itself but separate High Court and separate Capital also and no Punjab and Haryana formula of same High Court and same Capital! Does Centre want this to happen in West UP also as Justice Jaswant Singh Commission recommended permanent seat of High Court Bench in West UP yet not even a single High Court Circuit Bench created even though on its recommendations High Court Benches were created in other States like Maharashtra at Aurangabad which already had multiple High Court Benches? Why Supreme Court kept a deafening silence on non implementation of Justice Jaswant Singh Commission report? Even Mayawati herself as Chief Minister had recommended creation of West UP as separate State to be named “Harit Pradesh” just like DR BR Ambedkar which is all on record!
Why is Centre so rigid in not allowing even a single Bench in any place other than at Lucknow created when Jawaharlal Nehru was PM in July 1948 where it was just not needed at all as it is so close to Allahabad High Court? To borrow JL Nehru’s words himself, “Anything rigid and permanent stops the nation’s growth.” How can Centre ever dare to gloss over or discard what Nehru had himself said so plainly? It merits just no reiteration that too much rigidity ossify into permanent obstacles.
By all accounts, the creation of a High Court Bench in West UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa and other needy regions and States will undoubtedly be a watershed moment when they will be created but till date when 100 years of independence is standing virtually at the doorsteps, Centre so far is still in just no mood to relent most astoundingly and we still see no end of the dark tunnel even after completion of nearly 80 years of independence for which Centre is squarely culpable! Let me reiterate: It is now high time that Centre immediately stops dishing most flimsy excuses for not creating a High Court Bench in big States like UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa on one pretext or the other! At the risk of repetition, it must be said that Centre cannot and should not put this most pressing issue in creation of High Court Benches in cold storage any longer affecting so many regions and States most spinelessly! Tersely put, it definitely brooks no more delay any longer now and must be definitely addressed at the earliest in true democratic spirit by creating High Court Benches in all those regions and States wherever they are incumbent for litigants to get justice at doorsteps!
(The writer is an Advocate based in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh)
