Allahabad HC raps UP govt for hoardings with photos of anti-CAA protesters, reserves order for Monday

The Allahabad High Court on Sunday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for putting up hoardings of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protestors in Lucknow and termed it ‘insult of state and its public’. The court reserved the judgment for Monday at 2 pm.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and justice Ramesh Sinha said that the act was “highly unjust” and that it was an absolute “encroachment” on personal liberty of the persons concerned.

Court pulled up state authorities for putting up of hoarding containing photographs and details of persons accused of violence during anti-CAA protests at Lucknow.

However, on request of state government counsel that Advocate General was going to appear in the matter and was coming from Lucknow but due to bad weather conditions could not reach Prayagraj in time, the bench adjourned hearing in the case till 3pm.

However, the court, while concluding said that good sense should prevail on the State and it must take some action before 3pm.

The police had put up several hoardings across Lucknow on Thursday identifying those accused of violence during the protests against the citizenship law last December. The hoardings which carry names, photographs and residential addresses of the accused have triggered fear among them for their safety.

The accused have been asked to pay for the damage to public and private property within a stipulated time or have their properties seized by the district administration.