SC summons UP's home secretary for state's failure to respond to plea

The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned the home secretary of Uttar Pradesh after taking a serious view of the state government's failure to respond to a plea by a "minor" Muslim girl, who has challenged the Allahabad High Court order by which her marriage was found to be void.

The 16-year-old girl has challenged the high court order, saying that as per the Mohammedan Law, once a female attains the age of puberty, that is 15 years, she is independent to take decisions for her life and is competent to marry any one of her own choice.

When the matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices N V Ramana and Ajay Rastogi, the counsel appearing for the state, sought time to file a response on the petition.

"Let the chief secretary appear (in court). Then he will understand the seriousness of the matter," the bench said in an oral observation.

Later, the bench summoned the home secretary of Uttar Pradesh and directed him to personally appear before it on September 23.

The top court noted in its order that despite granting time to the state's counsel for filing reply on the plea, the lawyer has not received proper instruction from the department concerned.

"We are forced to compel the appearance of Secretary Home (of Uttar Pradesh) to appear personally before us on Monday (September 23)," the bench said.