Embarrassing visuals emerged from the Allahabad High Court, where a group of lawyers created a ruckus and vandalised a courtroom by hurling furniture, while protesting against the alleged insult of an advocate by Justice Ajay Bhanot. Videos of the incident have been going viral on social media, showing a large number of lawyers gathered in the court and protesting.
The incident led to the Allahabad High Court contemplating contempt action against the lawyers involved in the vandalism. The court condemned the conduct of the lawyers, calling it “absolutely contemptuous”. It directed the Registrar (Protocol) on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) to obtain CCTV footage outside the judge’s courtroom where the vandalism happened and identify the lawyers involved. The Registrar is required to submit a report by the next hearing.
The order was passed by a bench of Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal during the hearing of a bail application. Justice Deshwal recorded that certain advocates had started raising their voices in the corridor outside the courtroom, interrupting the proceedings.
Chaos erupted in courtroom at the Allahabad High Court amid protests by advocates over alleged misbehaviour with a lawyer. Furniture was allegedly thrown towards the dais #AllahabadHighCourt #JusticeAjayBhanot #lawyersprotest https://t.co/0EB8pEjmK4
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) October 28, 2026
The protest and the vandalism relate to an alleged incident of Justice Ajay Bhanot insulting an advocate inside his courtroom on Tuesday. The Allahabad High Court Bar Association wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court the same day, seeking action against the alleged incident inside the courtroom.
In the letter, the Bar Association stated that the courtroom had a separate seating reserved for police officers and other high-ranking officials, a practice introduced by Justice Bhanot. During the proceedings in the courtroom, a cop holding the rank of Superintendent of Police sat in the row behind the Additional Government Advocate (AGA). An advocate asked the SP to sit in the row behind, saying that it was not his seat.
This allegedly irked the AGA, who scolded the advocate and told him that he would complain about this to Justice Bhanot. The Bar Association further stated that the AGA complained against the advocate to Justice Bhanot when he entered the room. Justice Bhanot allegedly pointed a finger at the advocate and used harsh words with him, saying that he would be sent to jail.
The advocate sought forgiveness from Justice Bhanot, after which the judge made him apologise to the SP. Justice Bhanot also allegedly ridiculed senior advocate VP Srivastava, who was present in the courtroom. After the incident, the Bar Association called for a boycott of Justice Bhanot’s courtroom. A day later, lawyers staged a protest against Justice Bhanot, during which the act of vandalism happened.
