Paying the price for patriotism, Agra lost its high court
AGRA The city of Taj, which lost its high court after its role in the freedom movement , has been struggling for over five decades merely for its bench.
Agra witnessed much action during the 1857 Uprising and the British decided to punish the region and shifted the high court. “High court is a court of record and the British did not find it safe to have records of high court in Agra. So the high court established here in 1866 was shifted to the then Allahabad in 1869 and Agra paid the price for its patriotism,” said Devendra Vajpayee, a senior lawyer here.
“The present day court of the district judge was the seat of the chief justice of the high court and the centenary celebration for high court establishment in state of Uttar Pradesh was organized both at Agra and Allahabad in 1966, signifying the glorious past of the Taj city. The chief justice of the high court used to live in Awagarh House locality in Agra,” he said.
“Now, we are asking merely for a high court bench in Agra and have a report of the judicial commission in our favour, yet our punishment for patriotism continues and the decades long agitation is yet to bear fruit,” he pointed.
“After Independence in 1947, Agra remained a prominent seat of judiciary and 1956 saw the beginning of a coordinated effort when the 12th State Lawyers Council was organised in Agra civil court, sowing seeds of an agitation for high court bench which goes on till date,” said Vajpayee. The agitation grew steadily and, in 1980, the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, late
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Narain Dutt Tiwari raised the issue with then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi, seeking constitution of a commission for working out location of HC bench in western UP.
Late Indira Gandhi constituted a three-member judicial commission headed by Justice Jaswant Singh. The commission travelled extensively all through the western belt of the state to choose best location and in 1985, selected Agra for being seat of high court Bench, he said.
Lawyers in Agra had to agitate to have the recommendation tabled in parliament and staged foot march till Delhi and report was published in 1986. The agitation grew as the recommendation was not implemented and on September 26, 2001 a large number of police men entered the civil court premises, cane charging the agitating lawyers. Later, a judicial probe was ordered. Till date, the demand for a high court bench in Agra is pending.
“The demand is very relevant as cheaper, accessible and speedy justice is the basic of the judicial system. In the absence of a high court bench, litigants have to travel far, making justice a lot more inaccessible,” said Achal Sharma, another seasoned lawyer.