In an important development, the Centre has sought the opinion of the Attorney General whether the advice of the chief justices of the high courts for non-establishment of HC benches in other parts of the state could be binding on the government.
Faced with agitation by advocates in western Uttar Pradesh and representation from various other states demanding setting up of High Court benches, the Centre has initiated a proposal seeking Attorney General Soli Sorabjee's advice on the matter keeping in view the supreme court's ruling that the the high courts' opinion in this regard was binding. Law minister Arun Jaitley told news persons that Allahabad High Court chief justice was requested to send his views and comments on the establishment of a bench of the high court in the western Uttar Pradesh.
The chief justice endorsed the views of his predecessors and stated that there was no justification for creation of any such bench of the Allahabad High Court in western Uttar Pradesh, He said. The minister felt that under the constitution, the establishment of the benches of the high court was to be done by the central government in consultation with the chief justice of the concerned high court.
Bureau Report