Allahabad High Court irked on finding District Collector's phone switched off during work hours

The Allahabad High Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the fact that the district collector/ District Magistrate (DM) of Hardoi, Mangla Prasad Singh, appeared to have his mobile phone switched off during working hours..Justice Abdul Moin took note of this issue yesterday after the DM was unreachable when he was contacted by mobile phone by the State's standing counsel. The State's counsel had been directed on Monday morning to get the DM's input in a case concerning a delay in renewing an explosives license. However, at 2.30 PM the same day, the lawyer informed the Court that the District Magistrate could not be contacted on his mobile number as the same was switched off."It is indeed a sad state of affairs that the head of the District is functioning with his mobile phone being switched off. It is not understood under what circumstances the said mobile phone has been switched off with the result that in case of any emergency as to how the District Magistrate, heading the District, is to be contacted," the Court lamented. .The Court was hearing a plea complaining of a nearly eight-month delay in getting approval for renewing an explosives license. The Court was told that the renewal application was filed in February 2024 but had not received any response to date from the competent authority, namely the DM of Hardoi. During the hearing, the Court asked the State counsel to seek instructions from the concerned DM..However, since the DM was unreachable by mobile phone, the Court summoned the official to appear before it on the next day (today) and explain why he could not be contacted. The DM was also asked to explain why the explosive licence of the petitioner had not been renewed till now despite an application for the same having been made back in February 2024. The DM was ordered to appear before the Court today to answer these queries..Advocate Vikas Sharma appeared for the petitioner..[Read Order]