No leave for UP field officials up to Nov-end

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday issued an order saying officials on "field duty" will not be granted leave till November 30.

The instructions come on the last day of the Supreme Court hearing in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The official order, however, attributed the decision to the festival season.

Officials considered to be on field duties include police officers posted at the district and lower levels, as well as district magistrates.

In the order, Additional Chief Secretary Mukul Singhal said the government after deliberations decided that in view of the coming festival season, no official should be granted leave, unless in the most unavoidable circumstances, till November 30.

The order also directed the officials to remain present at the headquarters of their respective places of posting.

Singhal said strict compliance of the order must be ensured.

Director Information, Shishir, said, "The cancellation of duties during festival season is a normal thing and there is nothing unusual in it."
Posting the order on his official Twitter account, District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said, "The order has been issued considering safety and security of Ayodhya and those visiting here as Govt's paramount concerns."