HC seeks reply from Centre,UP govt over hosting official lunch

The order was given by the bench of Justices Uma Nath Singh and Saeed-Uz-Zaman Siddiqui on the PIL filed by a local lawyer Ashok Pandey.

In his PIL, the petitioner sought direction to frame a clearcut policy about hosting lunch, dinner and other such function, where there is involvement of public exchequer and government machinery.

The petitioner said that this policy should be framed for the functions at the official residences of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and other union ministers to that of all government functionaries at the Centre within a reasonable time.

Besides this, the official residence of the Governor, the Chief Minister and other ministers and all other government officials at the state level should also come under the policy, he said.

The petitioner has also sought direction against the Centre and state government not to host any official lunch, dinner and other such functions in contravention of the policy, where public exchequer and government machinery is involved.

The bench gave counsels of the Centre and the state to seek instruction within two weeks time and fixed August 3 as the next date of hearing.