Allahabad HC registers PIL on the situation in Uttar Pradesh, issues notice to State of UP

The Allahabad High Court has issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government in a public interest litigation seeking a judicial enquiry in the situation in the State.

The PIL alleges that the situation in Uttar Pradesh is antithetical to core constitutional values.

Notice was issued by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Vivek Varma after the PIL was registered by it pursuant to a letter written to the Chief Justice by a Mumbai-based Advocate, Ajay Kumar.

The Court has appointed Senior Advocate SFA Naqvi and Advocate Ramesh Kumar as Amicus Curiae in the matter.

The order informs,

The New York Times report had alleged grave breaches of law by the law by the Uttar Pradesh Police, including allegation of minors being detained and tortured in the aftermath of the anti-CAA protests in the State and bias against Muslims.

The Telegraph report had alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Police stripped and tortured a Maulana.

Taking note of the contents of the letter and the documents annexed to it, the Court deemed it appropriate to treat the letter as a petition for writ and stated,

Apart from the articles published in New York Times and The Telegraph, the Court also took on record an article published by The Indian Express, Lucknow Edition on January 7.

The matter would be heard next on january 16.

Read the Order: