Members of Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA), on Tuesday, abstained from judicial work in support of the call for Allahabad bandh to protest against the proposed move of bifurcation of the high court by creating its bench in western UP.
The lawyers locked all gates of the court and held a meeting in which the speakers criticised the proposed move as also the silence being maintained by a majority of political parties over the issue.
HCBA president VC Mishra, while addressing the gathering, declared to oppose the move and observed that the proposal was against the spirit of the Constitution, wherein it has been envisaged that there should be only one high court in every state except for the exception of Punjab and Haryana. He stated that the fallout of carving out new states of Chattisgarh and Jharkhand has already been witnessed as the two states are now in the grip of naxalites.
Speaking on the occasion, president of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (legal cell) and lawyer Umesh Narain Sharma threatened to dislodge the government which supported the proposal for creation of a bench in western UP.
Another speaker Anil Tewari demanded that before bifurcation of the high court the government should create a bench of the Supreme Court in Allahabad.
Sarita Singh pointed out that the high court was a pride for the city and any move for its bifurcation would mean depriving the city of its pride and honour. The meeting was conducted by HCBA secretary Veer Singh. After the meeting, the lawyers took out a procession which culminated at the Subhash Crossing in Civil Lines.
Although the lawyers had called for Allahabad bandh, but following an appeal by the traders unions, the shops were exempted from the bandh as the festivals of Eid and Dussehra were round the corner.
