UP chief minister not signing files? Court queries

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court Thursday sought a reply from the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition which alleged that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was not signing any files.

Petitioner activist Nutan Thakur told the the bench of Justice Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya that it was an important issue which needed to be resolved.

Additional Advocate General Bulbul Godiyal raised a preliminary objection that the plea did not qualify to be a public interest litigation.

The court, however, said the state should give all its statements in writing.

According to the petition, the chief minister was not signing any files and decisions were being taken on files by officers of his secretariat.

This practice was against the rule of law as it diluted accountability and has the potential of misuse and causing disputes and litigation, Thakur said.

Thakur prayed for issuing direction to the chief minister to sign the files himself instead of making his officers to do so.

The court would next hear the matter Oct 22.