The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has issued a stern warning to the Uttar Pradesh government over its ongoing delay in establishing 900 new courts across the state. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh on Tuesday made it clear that top state officials will face mandatory personal appearances if a final decision is not reached before the next scheduled hearing on July 8.
The court’s sharp warning specifically targets the state’s Chief Secretary and the Legal Remembrancer, signaling growing judicial impatience with bureaucratic stalling.
Stiff Warnings Over Government Delay
The warning was delivered during a hearing on a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) centered on a massive structural expansion of the state’s judiciary—specifically, the planned creation of 9,149 courts in Uttar Pradesh.
The 900 courts in question represent the critical first phase of this broader judicial expansion. Despite a high-level state government committee granting “in-principle” approval for these courts back in October 2024, implementation has stalled.
The division bench observed that rather than executing concrete decisions, the state government has repeatedly tried to slow down the process. The court firmly rejected these delays, noting that efforts were being made to stall progress by raising “fresh and baseless objections.”
Breakdown of the Planned Judicial Expansion
The proposed 900 courts designated for the initial phase of the rollout are structured to address various tiers of the state’s legal system. The approved plans include:
- 225 Higher Judicial Service (HJS) courts
- 375 Civil Judge (Senior Division) courts
- 300 Civil Judge (Junior Division) courts
A Final Opportunity Granted
Faced with the bench’s sharp criticism on Tuesday, representatives for the Uttar Pradesh government requested a final opportunity to resolve the matter and move forward with the installations.
The court granted the state’s request for a final extension while passing its order, but left no room for further postponement. If the state government fails to deliver a final, concrete decision on the 900 courts by July 8, the Chief Secretary and Legal Remembrancer will be required to stand before the court in person to explain the gridlock.
