HC directs Meghalaya, UP DGPs to investigate Lucknow Trust

The Meghalaya High Court has directed police chiefs of the state and Uttar Pradesh to investigate into the activities of Lucknow-based Sarv Seva Trust and its founder, Girish Narain Pande, for seeking a reply if the Constitution of India had been translated into other languages and made mandatory in schools.
Meghalaya Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice S R Sen directed the Director Generals of Police of both the states to submit their reports on October 13 and ensure Pandey's appearance so as to find out whether he is in a sound state of mental health.
The division bench in its order yesterday also made it clear that there shall be 'strict compliance' failing which the law will take its course also against the police officers asked to carry out the directions.

Pande, who, according to the chief justice had claimed to be a former bureaucrat, had highlighted the steps taken by the Trust to popularize the Constitution in many villages and in return sought the chief justice's action in this regard as per Section 51 A of the Constitution.
Justice Singh said the text, tenor and tone of the September 17 letter to him appeared to be offensive in as much as the letter can be misinterpreted to mean that the respondent wields the clout to control the judiciary.
He also said the authoritative way in which Pande asked the questions can give a wrong impression to the litigant public and cause erosion of their faith in the office of the chief justice and the judicial system.

It can also give the impression that the respondent can influence the chief justice and the judiciary by issuing such letters to the judicial authorities.

"He thinks that, upon retirement, he is a free citizen with all rights and no legal obligation, little realizing that his pension which he is getting from public exchequer is also subject to keeping a good character and obeisance to law of the land," Singh said of Pandey.
Observing that ordinarily all letters connected with the affairs of the high court are to be addressed only to the Registrar General whose details are available on the website of the court, he said "the respondent has not even cared to read the Meghalaya High Court (Right to Information) Rules."

The bench also observed that the respondent had also enclosed a blank postal order along with the letter addressed to the chief justice which could be misused and misunderstood and could tarnish the image of the chief justice as well as the high court.