Legal Friction: Allahabad High Court Paralysis Over Judges Shortage and Proposed Bill

The Allahabad High Court's operations were halted as lawyers abstained from work to protest a shortage of judges and a proposed Advocates (Amendment) Bill. The High Court Bar Association demands increased judge strength and opposes the bill, which may impact advocate autonomy and redefine legal practitioner qualifications.

The operations of the Allahabad High Court were brought to a standstill on Friday as lawyers chose to abstain from their judicial duties. This action was taken in protest against the critical shortfall in the number of judges and the contentious Advocates (Amendment) Bill. The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) had resolved on Thursday to abstain from judicial work to make their demands heard.

Gathered at the main gate, the HCBA members, led by President Anil Tiwari, highlighted the alarming disparity between the sanctioned strength of 160 judges and the current count of 55 judges, with an additional 23 serving at the Lucknow bench. This shortage has severely impacted the court's ability to handle the increasing backlog of cases, which remain pending for months.

Protests were also directed against the draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill proposed by the central government, with claims that the amendments could undermine advocates' interests and the bar association's autonomy. A significant change proposed in the bill involves redefining a law graduate's qualifications, affecting many in the legal community.