PIL ON RENAMING OF ALLD: HC SEEKS CENTRE, STATE REPLY

LUCKNOW : The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday sought the central and the state governments’ reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed against the renaming of Allahabad district as Prayagraj. The court provided one week’s time to the respondents, including the central and the state governments, to file their counter-affidavits (reply) on the plea. The court listed the case on November 19. A division bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan passed the order on a PIL filed by a retired Provincial Civil Services (PCS) officer Hari Shankar Pandey, seeking directions to quash the state government notification issued in connection with changing the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj. The petitioner submitted that the said notification was issued without adopting the procedure as mentioned in Section 6 (2) of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006, and its rules. The name was changed to gain a political advantage, ignoring all norms and the public interest, putting a huge burden on the state and the central exchequer, he alleged. The petitioner also sought directions from the court to restore the name of Allahabad, which existed prior to October 18, the date of the state government’s notification. Representing the state government, additional advocate general (AAG) Vinod Kumar Shahi opposed the PIL. The central government was also represented through its counsel. The Union of India, the state of Uttar Pradesh, the chairman of the Board of Revenue, UP, and the principal secretary to governor, UP were made respondents in the PIL.