Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Allahabad High Court this evening
In Allahabad for BJP's two-day National Executive meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the High Court in the city this evening to meet lawyers in what is seen as a damage control exercise.
Recently, the powerful bar association of the Allahabad High Court went up in arms against the BJP and was planning to stage a demonstration at the venue of the BJP conclave. Its members were angry over an assurance given by BJP president Amit Shah to lawyers from Agra to consider a bench of the Allahabad High Court in west Uttar Pradesh. Mr shah had promised the lawyers from Agra that if the BJP is voted to power in 2017 in UP, the government will work for a bench in the region.
UP's High Court has its headquarter in Allahabad and a bench in the state capital Lucknow. Litigants from western UP have to travel 550 km to reach the High Court and hence lawyers and litigants have been demanding a bench of the High Court in western UP.
But lawyers and other judicial workers in Allahabad are against the move claiming it would impact their livelihood. So powerful is the lobby in Allahabad that for decades no government has taken up the cause for a bench ever.
In an emergency meet on June 8, the Allahabad High Court bar association led by its president Radha Kant Ojha pledged to oppose the efforts to dilute the bench.
"The lawyers had given a call for a state-wide bandh against the BJP. It is unfortunate that the BJP plans to divide the high Court," said Ashok Kumar Singh, a member of the bar association.
Sources say the agitating lawyers also know that the law ministry is working on a report on creating a bench in western UP.
With the lawyers up in arms, the BJP decided to go in for damage control. PM Modi gave his consent to meet the lawyers during his stay in Allahabad and is expected to issue a clarification.