Fire Safety Infrastructure in Courts: Allahabad High Court Pulls Up District Judges for Silence

The Allahabad High Court, while monitoring long-pending issues relating to fire safety infrastructure in court complexes across Uttar Pradesh, has warned District Judges of several districts that it may pass stringent orders if they fail to respond to repeated communications concerning the installation of fire-fighting equipment.

The observation came in a public interest litigation filed by Sunil Kumar Dwivedi, in which the court has been examining the preparedness of district courts to deal with fire-related emergencies. The bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary passed the order on January 7, 2026.

Court noted that in its earlier order dated December 4, 2025, the State government had assured that funds would be allocated for installing fire-fighting equipment in eight districts. However, during the present hearing, the State informed the court that certain queries had arisen with respect to these districts, for which responses were sought from the concerned District Judges on January 2, 2026, through the Registrar General of the High Court.

Appearing for the High Court, counsel informed the bench that letters dated January 5, 2026, relating to six districts had been received at Allahabad. As far as the remaining two districts were concerned, it was stated that the letters were available with the State’s counsel but had not yet been formally placed on record.

The bench expressed its inability to understand why the documents and corresponding pleadings had not been brought on record, particularly when more than a month had passed since the last order. Despite this, court granted time and directed the District Judges of Mahoba, Chandauli, Auraiya, Chitrakoot, Banda, Etawah, Maharajganj and Deoria to respond to the State government’s letter through the High Court within two weeks.

The order also records serious concern regarding another set of seven districts, which are- Jhansi, Hamirpur, Hapur, Shamli, Firozabad, Kushinagar and Siddharthnagar. The counsel for the High Court informed the bench that after receipt of earlier orders in the PIL, communications had been sent to the District Judges of these districts in December 2025. Specific dates of communication were placed on record, showing that multiple letters had been issued over a period of time.

Despite these repeated communications,court was informed that no response had been received from any of the seven districts. The bench observed that similar letters had even been sent prior to the latest round of correspondence, but the situation remained unchanged.

Taking note of this continued non-compliance, court recorded that it was refraining from passing any harsh order against the concerned District Judges only at the request of the counsel for the High Court. However, the bench made it clear that this indulgence would not continue indefinitely.

Court categorically warned that if the concerned District Judges do not respond within the next two weeks, it would be compelled to pass stringent orders against them. 

The PIL has now been listed for further hearing on January 27, 2026.

Court also directed that officers who were required to join the proceedings through video conferencing on the present date shall again join on the next date.

Additionally, the bench ordered that a copy of the order be sent to the Registrar General of the High Court within 24 hours for compliance. The State government has been directed to file an affidavit placing on record the facts and documents referred to during the hearing and relied upon by it.

Case Title: Sunil Kumar Dwivedi vs. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Law And Others

Order Date: January 7, 2026

Bench: Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary