Lawyers seek equal division of jurisdiction between Allahabad HC, Lko bench

In the statewide lawyers’ conference convened by the Oudh Bar Association (OBA) of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Friday, lawyers of various Bar Associations extended support to the OBA which is demanding expansion of territorial jurisdiction of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court.

Lucknow: Lawyers of more than 25 Bar Associations from across the state on Friday demanded equal division of territorial jurisdiction between the Allahabad high court and its Lucknow bench.

Former district judge CB Pandey, who is now a practising lawyer in Lucknow high court, suggested that a petition must be filed in the Supreme Court on the issue. (Pic for representation)

In the statewide lawyers’ conference convened by the Oudh Bar Association (OBA) of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Friday, lawyers of various Bar Associations extended support to the OBA which is demanding expansion of territorial jurisdiction of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court.

The OBA had convened a statewide lawyers’ conference at the Ravindralaya auditorium in Charbagh in which lawyers from several parts of the state took part.

“A resolution was passed extending support to the OBA and demanding equal division of jurisdiction between Allahabad high court and its Lucknow bench ,” said Anand Mani Tripathi, president of the OBA.

Office-bearers of Bar Associations of several districts also expressed their views at the conference. It was also decided that lawyers in their respective districts would handover a memorandum to local MPs on the issue.

“Lok Sabha elections are round the corner. We will also try to exert pressure on politicians to take up the issue with the union government,” said Manoj Kumar Mishra, general secretary of the OBA.

Former district judge CB Pandey, who is now a practising lawyer in Lucknow high court, suggested that a petition must be filed in the Supreme Court on the issue.

The OBA is the apex body of lawyers of the Lucknow high court with around 5,000 members.

What Jaswant Singh panel said

In March 1981, the then Uttar Pradesh government had recommended shifting jurisdiction of a few districts from the Allahabad high court to its Lucknow bench for the convenience of litigants.

Thereafter, the central government in September 1981 constituted the Jaswant Singh Commission to submit its report on the Uttar Pradesh government’s proposal and requirement of a separate bench of the high court in western U.P.

In its report, the Jaswant Singh Commission recommended relocation of Bareilly and Moradabad regions from the Allahabad high court’s jurisdiction to the Lucknow bench. It had also recommended a separate bench of the high court in Agra.

Districts under HC’s Lucknow bench

Lucknow, Unnao, Bahraich, Ayodhya (Faizabad), Sultanpur, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Barabanki, Gonda, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Balrampur and Shravasti.