The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) on Thursday decided to abstain from judicial work to press their demands.
As per HCBA’s resolution, the lawyers assembled at the main gate of the high court on Friday morning and refused to enter the court premises.
HCBA president Anil Tiwari said the sanctioned strength of judges for the Allahabad High Court is 160. However, at present the court has less than half of its sanctioned strength at 55, while 23 judges are working in its Lucknow bench.
Due to insufficient number of judges, the pendency of cases is increasing each passing day as cases are not being taken up for several months, the lawyers’ body said.
The HCBA has demanded to not only meet the sanctioned strength of judges, but also an increase in the sanctioned strength to hear the rising number of cases.
The lawyers also protested against the draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill proposed by the Centre, claiming that its provisions are against the interest of the advocates and the autonomy of the bar association.
The government plans to amend the Advocates Act, 1961, by making sweeping changes in the definitions of what a legal practitioner and a law graduate mean.
According to the draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a law graduate means a person who has obtained a bachelor’s degree in law of three or five years or such other duration as prescribed, by any centre of legal education or university established by law or a college affiliated to any university and recognised by the Bar Council of India.
