Legal proceedings in the Allahabad High Court have hit a standstill today as the Bar Association declared a strike, protesting a dire shortage of judges. With just 79 judges handling a crushing caseload of over 10 lakh pending cases—against a sanctioned strength of 160—the backlog continues to grow, leaving justice delayed for countless litigants.
The decision to abstain from work was reached in an emergency meeting on February 24, presided over by Bar Association President Anil Tiwari and Secretary Vikrant Pandey. Advocates expressed frustration over the unfulfilled demand to address judicial vacancies, despite the Central government conceding to their other request regarding proposed amendments to the Advocates Act.
A letter addressed to the Chief Justice underscored concerns over the impact of judicial vacancies on the independence of the judiciary. The issue has gained national attention, with even the Supreme Court recently voicing alarm over the severe backlog. Observing that some cases have remained unresolved for over three decades, the apex court stressed the urgency of filling vacancies on a merit basis to prevent further delays in justice.
As Allahabad’s legal community takes a stand, the question remains: how long can justice be put on hold?