In a significant development in the name and shame controversy, the Allahabad High Court has issued notice in a challenge to the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Private and Public Property Ordinance, 2020 (Shashank Shri Tripathi v. State of Uttar Pradesh).
Notice was issued to the Uttar Pradesh government by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Samit Gopal in the petition filed by Advocate Shashank Shri Tripathi.
The Uttar Pradesh government moved to pass the Ordinance just a week after the Allahabad High Court had pulled up the authorities for displaying banners bearing the names and photographs of persons alleged to have caused damage to property during anti-CAA protests in Lucknow.
Aggrieved by the High Court order, the government moved the Supreme Court shortly thereafter. While the Apex Court referred issues related to the matter to a larger bench, it did not stay the Allahabad High Court’s order.
In view of the fact that the matter is pending before the Supreme Court, the High Court pushed the date for complying with its earlier directive to remove banners to April 10.
