The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has summoned the District Magistrate (DM) of Hardoi after discovering that his phone was switched off during a critical hearing. This action follows a petition from Nazakat Ali, who has been waiting for eight months for a decision on his explosive license renewal application.
During the hearing on Monday, the court instructed the government lawyer to contact the DM to inquire why no order had been issued regarding the petitioner’s application. However, when the lawyer attempted to reach the DM, they found his phone switched off. In response, the court ordered the DM to appear in court on Tuesday at 10:15 AM.
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Justice Abdul Moin, who presided over the single-bench hearing, expressed concern over the DM’s unavailability. He questioned the government lawyer about the failure to establish contact despite numerous efforts, highlighting the importance of the DM’s accessibility in emergencies.
The court also mandated that the Principal Secretary of Home be notified of the situation. If the DM’s phone remains unresponsive, the court indicated that the Chief Secretary should be informed as well.
The case was brought to the court’s attention after Ali stated that his request for license renewal had gone unanswered for months. Following discussions with the District Magistrate, the government lawyer reiterated the inability to reach him by phone, prompting the court to call for immediate action.
