Tensions escalated sharply in Lucknow on Monday, 19 May 2025, a day after the Lucknow Municipal Corporation razed nearly 240 allegedly illegal lawyers' chambers and shops outside the district court premises, acting on directions from the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. Members of the Bar Association accused the administration of unleashing a brutal lathi-charge on protesting advocates, with several reportedly hospitalised.

The Demolition Drive

The demolition was carried out on Sunday, 18 May 2025, with heavy police deployment alongside Lucknow Municipal Corporation teams. The structures targeted were described as allegedly illegal chambers and commercial shops that had come up outside the district court complex. The High Court had reportedly ordered their removal, and according to Bar Association officials, lawyers had been aware of the impending action for nearly two to two-and-a-half months.

The drive triggered immediate protests from the legal community, leading to heated clashes with security personnel on the ground.

Bar Association's Allegations

Bar Association General Secretary Jitendra Yadav alleged that the administration's handling of the demolition was heavy-handed and left advocates with no time to retrieve their belongings. 'We are protesting because the administration did not even give our respected advocates a chance to remove the laptops, air-conditioners, furniture, and many important files kept inside their chambers,' he said.

Yadav further alleged that police resorted to force against the protesters. 'The police carried out such a severe lathi-charge that several of our advocates were injured, some suffered fractures, and they are currently admitted to the hospital,' he alleged. He was careful to distinguish between opposition to the court's order and objection to the manner of execution.

What the Lawyers Say They Are Protesting

'There was no order for a lathi-charge. The court had only ordered a demolition. It is not that we do not respect the court; the entire country respects the judiciary, and we also do. However, we strongly condemn the administration's lathi-charge against our respected members. I condemn this incident,' Yadav said.

Notably, the Bar Association stated explicitly that it was not challenging the High Court's demolition directive — a position that underscores the narrower but pointed grievance: the manner of police conduct during the operation, not the legal order itself.

Broader Context

Clashes between lawyers and police during court-adjacent demolition drives are not without precedent in Uttar Pradesh. The episode comes amid a broader push by courts and civic bodies across the state to clear encroachments from public and court premises. However, critics argue that adequate notice and time to vacate are minimum procedural requirements that authorities must observe, regardless of the legal mandate for demolition.

The administration has not yet issued a formal response to the lathi-charge allegations. With lawyers threatening to escalate their protest and injured advocates reportedly under medical care, the situation in Lucknow remains fluid.