Ghaziabad, Aug 20 (IANS): Ghaziabad courts remained closed for the eighth day after being forcibly shut by angry lawyers demanding a Allahabad High Court bench in western Uttar Pradesh.

"Although the lawyers' strike call for setting up a high court bench in western Uttar Pradesh is 34 years old, this time the boycott has been collectively intensified in all the 22 districts of western Uttar Pradesh. The bar association had given a call for strike from Aug 13. It is the eighth day since the courts are closed. Though litigants are facing problems, both the central and the state governments are apathetic to our demand," said Bar Association President Rakesh Tyagi Kakra.

"We met the union law minister who asked us to send the proposal from the Uttar Pradesh government. The state government had, in the past, sent proposals four times. But each time, the union minister wants fresh proposals while the union government is empowered to notify an ordinance for a new bench in western Uttar Pradesh," said Kakra.

Allahabad-based lawyers and other vested interests have been creating hurdles in establishing a bench in the most populous part of the state. Even small states are maintaining two or more benches but the union government, in spite of receiving the proposal from Uttar Pradesh, has not cleared the same.

"In February, lawyers began agitation but withdrew it after a government assurance that the demand would be fulfilled. However, even after six months and no state government pressure on the union government, second phase of agitation has started. Next strategy would be adopted after reviewing the feedback," Kakra added.

In December 2012, on a call of Central Action Committee, lawyers from 22 western UP districts staged a dharna and blocked vehicular movement on National Highway-58 due to which vehicular movement on NH-58, NH-24 Grand Trunk Road and other roads came to a standstill.