Supreme Court orders immediate release of 2 senior UP govt officials

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, April 20

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered immediate release of two senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh government taken into custody on the orders of the Allahabad High Court for failing to frame rules to give certain benefits to retired high court judges.

A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud stayed the April 4 and April 19 Allahabad High Court orders by which UP Finance Secretary SMA Rizvi and Special Secretary (Finance) Sarayu Prasad Mishra were taken into custody and the state’s Chief Secretary was issued bailable warrants for Thursday.

The stay order came after Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj mentioned the matter for urgent hearing and said the high court passed a “very peculiar” order.

“Milord this is an unprecedented order… The rules were framed and were to be sent to the Governor. But before the Governor could examine the rules… There were some technical objections. Meanwhile, the high court summoned the finance secretaries and directed them to be taken into custody,” the ASG told the Bench which also included Justice PS Narasimha.

The high court also issued a bailable warrant against the Chief Secretary and asked him to be present before it on Thursday, Natraj said.

“Officers of UP Govt shall be released forthwith. Registrar (Judicial) of the Supreme Court shall communicate the order of this court to the Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court both telephonically and through email for immediate compliance,” the top court ordered.

Issuing notice on the Uttar Pradesh Government’s petition, the Bench posted the matter for next week.

The high court’s order had come on a petition filed by Retired Judges’ Association which alleged that the officials delayed the facilities such as providing domestic help to the former Chief Justice and former judges of the Allahabad High Court without any valid basis.