Jahanvi Agarwal
Advocate Deepanker Kumar from Lucknow has recently filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Allahabad High Court, urging for a name change of the institution to the “High Court of Uttar Pradesh”. Kumar’s argument centers around the colonial legacy of naming High Courts after their cities of establishment, suggesting that this tradition is not aligned with the ethos of independent India post its Constitution.
He seeks a directive from the High Court to the Central Government and other relevant authorities to officially rename the Allahabad High Court as the “High Court of Uttar Pradesh” across all official communications, notifications, judgments, orders, and decrees. Additionally, the petitioner requests instructions to rename the Allahabad High Court Rules, 1952, to the Uttar Pradesh High Court Rules to avoid ambiguity and confusion among stakeholders.
An additional question raised in the petition concerns the division of jurisdiction between the Allahabad High Court’s two benches in Lucknow and Prayagraj. The petitioner argues that the Allahabad High Court Amalgamation Order of 1948, which initially defined this division, ceased to operate with the adoption of the Constitution in 1950, thus necessitating a formal reevaluation of jurisdictional boundaries.
While stressing the need for judicial directives from the High Court on these matters, Kumar’s plea acknowledges another pending PIL from 2021, addressing similar issues, awaiting adjudication by the High Court.
Case Law: Deepanker Kumar v. Union of India
Dairy Number: 319/2024
Bench: Hon’ble Arun Bhansali and Hon’ble Jaspreet Singh