UP govt may challenge HC decision to remove hoardings on anti-CAA protesters

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 10

Defying the Allahabad High Court order to remove the anti-CAA protestors’ hoardings “forthwith”, the Yogi Adityanath government is contemplating to challenge the order in the Supreme Court after Holi.

Speaking to a news channel, media adviser to the chief minister Shalabh Mani Tripathi said: “We are examining the Allahabad High Court order. It is being examined to see on what basis was the order passed to remove the posters. Our experts are looking into it; The CM will take a decision accordingly.”

Admitting that the court was above all, Tripathi said the government is looking into options. “It is equally true that none of the people who damaged the public property would be spared,” he said.

Sources said the decision not to remove the hoardings and challenge it in the apex court was taken at a late-night meeting after directions from the Chief Minister.

The additional chief secretary in charge of home, Lucknow police commissioner, and the district magistrate, along with senior officials, were present in the meeting held in Lok Bhawan.

In a late-night inspection of the law and order situation in the city on the eve of Holi, Lucknow police commissioner Sujit Pandey went to several spots to check if the hoardings were intact.

Taking suo moto cognizance of the hoardings put up at 100 places across Lucknow giving names, photos and addresses of the alleged anti-CAA protesters, Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Govind Mathur had summoned the Lucknow district administration on March 8.

In its 14-page order, the division bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha observed that the action amounted to “unwarranted interference in privacy of people” and hence was violative of Article 21 of the Constitution.

The court has directed the Lucknow District Magistrate and Police Commissioner to immediately remove the hoardings and submit a compliance report with the Registrar General of the High Court by March 16.