HC asks UP govt to reply to PIL against Azam Khan

The Allahabad high court has directed Uttar Pradesh government to file a reply within two weeks to a PIL against cabinet minister Azam Khan in alleged transfer of 1500 sq yards of government land and building of Maulana Jauhar Ali Shodh Sansthan at Rampur to his Maulana Jauhar Ali Trust at an abnormally low annual lease rent.
A division bench of chief justice Dr DY Chandrachud and justice S N Shukla here gave this order on December 17 on a pending PIL of a social activist Nutan Thakur seeking a direction for quashing of the said allotment order, along with action against concerned officers.

The petitioner alleged that the allotment was done in blatant disregard to rules and regulations and without following transparent process.
Earlier, the court had sought a reply from the state government in this matter but at the time of hearing, the state counsel was not able to state whether as a matter of fact the counter affidavit had been filed in the registry.
"We direct that the counter affidavit, if it has not already been filed, be filed with in a period of two weeks from today.
"If the counter affidavit has been filed, it shall be tagged with the paper book. A copy of the counter affidavit shall be served on the petitioner appearing in person ",the court ordered while listing the PIL on 20 January, 2016.