The Allahabad High Court ordered SBI to pay Rs 1 lakh to a son whose father died during proceedings contesting his dismissal. The son sought compassionate employment but faced years of delay from the bank. While the court dismissed the son's plea due to his own laches, it penalised SBI for its apathy.
LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, on Wednesday, directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Uttar Pradesh government to file their reply to the plea filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited, challenging the municipal Corporation's orders sealing Sahara Shahar. The court sought the replies by October 30. It also directed the state authorities to rehabilitate the livestock, if any were left inside the Sahara Shahar, at Kanha Upvan for proper care. Sahara Shahar, a 170-acre township in Lucknow's posh Gomtinagar, was sealed by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation due to alleged violations of lease and licence agreements, a point contested by the Sahara group, which recently moved the court against the sealing order. A division bench, comprising Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Amitabh Rai, passed the order on the writ petition filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited. After hearing the matter at length, the bench said that the matter required consideration and so directed the parties to exchange the pleadings in the matter. Sahara India Corporation had strongly opposed the stand of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation for taking possession of Sahara Shahar property while sealing its six gates recently. The Sahara petition stated that Municipal authorities did not prepare any inventory of the properties and other valuable items inside the Sahara Shahar during sealing of the gates and taking possession of the property. It was also submitted that entire action was taken in a hurry without giving a proper opportunity of hearing and issuing notice to the Sahara people for vacating the premises. Opposing the plea, Lucknow Nagar Nigam said that the terms and conditions of the lease deed granted in 1994 were violated, and hence notices were issued in 2020 and in 2025, adding that the premises were sealed after giving a proper opportunity of hearing.
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Uttar Pradesh government to respond by October 30 to a plea from Sahara India Corporation Limited. Sahara is challenging the sealing of its Sahara Shahar property. The court also mandated proper care for any cattle found within the premises.
Allahabad HC adjourns hearing in Gyanvapi mosque case till November 10
The Allahabad High Court has postponed a hearing on a plea for an Archaeological Survey of India survey of the Gyanvapi mosque's wazukhana area. The court fixed November 10 for the next hearing. This comes as an interim order from the Supreme Court prevents effective interim or final orders on surveys of religious places.
The Allahabad High Court has initiated criminal contempt proceedings against Krishna Kumar Pandey for allegedly circulating a defamatory WhatsApp message accusing a judicial officer of accepting bribes and manipulating order sheets in ongoing cases. A Division Bench comprising Justices J.J. Munir and Pramod Kumar Srivastava found sufficient grounds to proceed and officially framed charges against [] The post Allahabad High Court charges man with criminal contempt for defamatory whatsapp message against judge appeared first on India Legal .
Only two HCs have full strength of judges amid pendency load
NEW DELHI: Indias High Courts are facing a serious manpower crisis, with 330 judges posts lying vacant across 25 states. The Allahabad High Court is the worst affected, with 76 vacancies out of its sanctioned strength of 160the highest among all High Courts. Only two high courts, Sikkim and Meghalaya, are currently functioning with a full bench, according to data accessed by this newspaper from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) and the Department of Justice. The data is as of September 1 this year. Despite the Supreme Court operating at full strength with 34 judges, the same cannot be said of the high courts, where the shortfall is slowing down the delivery of justice and adding to already massive case backlogs. The sanctioned strength of judges across all high courts is 1,122. But only 792 judges are currently serving. The 330 vacant posts include 161 permanent and 169 additional judges, who are usually appointed for a term not exceeding two years. Legal experts and former judges warn that unless these vacancies are filled promptly, the justice delivery system will continue to suffer badly resulting case pendency going up. The pendency of appointments directly affects case disposal. Litigants suffer the most, said Justice Anjana Prakash, former judge of the Patna High Court. Unless the judiciary and the Central government at address this as a very urgent issue, delays will persist. That is not something very desirable. Justice S R Singh, a former judge of the Allahabad High Court, expressed similar concern. Existing judges are overburdened, which affects both quality and efficiency. Appointments should be made strategically, based on pending caseloads in each high court, he told this newspaper. According to the NJDG, over 67 lakh cases are pending in high courts across the country. The Supreme Court itself has more than 60,000 pending cases despite having no vacancies to fill. Several major high courts continue to grapple with significant judicial vacancies, impacting the pace of justice delivery. The Bombay High Court leads with 26 vacancies out of 94 sanctioned judges. The Punjab and Haryana High Court follows closely with 25 out of 85 positions vacant. Calcutta has 24 out of 72, while Madras faces 19 vacancies out of 75. Patna has 18 out of 53, Delhi 16 out of 60, and Rajasthan 7 out of 50. The persistent shortage of judges is raising concerns over mounting case backlogs and delays in adjudication across these key judicial institutions. Judicial appointments remain a pressing issue for Indias legal system. Smaller high courts also reflect the strain: Uttarakhand has two vacancies out of 11 judges, and Tripura has one vacancy out of five. The appointment process, governed by the Collegium system and requiring government nod, has long been pointed out as reasons for delays. Recommendations are often returned, kept pending, or ignored causing bottlenecks that stretch for months before appointments are made. As the backlog continues to mount, the judiciary is under growing pressure to act swiftly. Experts say that urgent reforms and smoother coordination between the judiciary and the executive are essential to restore the efficiency of the justice system and public faith in it.
'Forwarding pro-Pak message not sedition': Allahabad high court grants bail to man
The Allahabad High Court granted bail to a Meerut man, Sajid Chaudhary, accused of sharing a Pakistan zindabad post. The court observed that merely supporting another country does not constitute endangering India's sovereignty under BNS section 152, though it might fall under promoting enmity. Sajid was charged under BNS section 152 and had been incarcerated since May.
Allahabad HC refuses to stay bulldozer action on Sambhal mosque
LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court, on Saturday, refused to stay the bulldozer action on a mosque, a marriage hall, and a hospital allegedly built on government land in Sambhal, dismissing the petition filed by the Muslim party. This mosque was built on a pond. The single-judge Bench of Justice Dinesh Pathak heard the plea moved by Masjid Sharif Gausul Wara Rawa Buzurg and its Mutawalli Minjar. According to the sources in the district administration, the mosque was built in Rayan Buzurg village of the Asmoli area, 30 km away from the Sambhal district headquarters. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court disposed of the petition and directed the mosque committee to approach the competent lower court with a stay application. On October 2, the team of district administration officials, led by DM-SP, arrived with a bulldozer to demolish the mosque. The administration had demolished the marriage hall built next to the mosque on Thursday. When the bulldozer was heading towards the mosque for demolition, local people requested the DM for 4 days with a promise to do away with the mosque themselves. The DM had given four days ' time. After this, on the same day, that is Thursday, local people had started breaking the outer wall of the mosque. On Friday, after prayers, some people had voluntarily demolished the boundary wall of the mosque. On Friday, the mosque's Mutawalli, Minjar Hussain had filed a petition in Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on the bulldozer action on the mosque. A special bench of Justice Dinesh Pathak heard the matter on Friday. The Court is, currently, sitting in vacation since September 29. The mosque management had challenged an order dated September 2, 2025, passed by the competent authority in proceedings under Section 67 of the UP Revenue Code, 2006. The petition was heard in court for about an hour and a quarter on Friday. The writ petition also questioned all proceedings initiated against the mosque, including the notice dated June 26, 2025, an undated show-cause notice, the unserved order dated September 2, 2025 and the demolition notice dated September 30, 2025. The Muslim party contended in the petition that the marriage hall was demolished, and October 2nd, Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra were chosen for the demolition so that the action could be taken smoothly without objection. During the bulldozer action, a major accident or riot could have occurred due to the crowd. The allegation behind this action was that the marriage hall was built on pond, while a portion of the mosque was built on government land. According to Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh, the mosque, spread over 550 square feet area, was constructed 10 years ago. A person named Minjar from the village had got it constructed. Minjar is also the maulana (cleric) of the mosque. The mosque was discovered during the survey being conducted regarding illegal encroachments in the district. Legal proceedings were initiated after this. On Friday, the Court questioned the petitioners' counsel regarding the availability of the impugned September 2, 2025, order. Advocates Arvind Kumar Tripathi and Shashank Shri Tripathi represented the mosque committee, while Chief Standing Counsel JN Maurya and Standing Counsel Ashish Mohan Srivastava appeared for the government during the hearing on Saturday. The counsel stated that the order had not been served upon them. However, the Court noted that the objection dated July 4, 2025, prima facie showed that the petitioners had participated in proceedings under Section 67 of the UP Revenue Code. At this stage, the Chief Standing Counsel produced a photostat copy of the impugned order, which was then served on the petitioners' counsel.
'Marital Quarrels Don't Amount To Suicide Abetment': Allahabad High Court Discharges Wife, In-Laws
The Allahabad High Court, in an order in an abetment to suicide case in Uttar Pradesh, has observed that marital discord and domestic disputes are quite common, and if a spouse commits suicide for this reason, it cannot be considered as abetment.
Allahabad HC refuses to stay Sambhal mosque demolition
Prayagraj: In a jolt to the petitioners, the Allahabad High Court on Saturday dismissed an urgent petition filed by the Sambhal mosque committee seeking a stay on the demolition of a mosque, marriage hall, and hospital allegedly built on government land. The single-judge Bench of Justice Dinesh Pathak heard the plea moved by Masjid Sharif Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Allahabad High Court refuse to stay demolition process in Sambhal
The Allahabad High Court has rejected the petition of the Sambhal mosque committee to stay the demolition of a mosque built on a pond and government land in Sambhal. The court heard the petition in a special hearing at 10 am, but refused to grant ...
Allahabad High Court grants bail to man accused of sharing 'Pakistan Zindabad' post
Sajid Chaudhary, a resident of Meerut, was booked under Section 152 (endangering India's sovereignty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and had been in jail since May 13, 2025
Allahabad HC grants bail to man accused of sharing 'Pakistan Zindabad' post
PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a man accused of sharing a post praising Pakistan on social media. Sajid Chaudhary, a resident of Meerut, was booked under Section 152 (endangering India's sovereignty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and had been in jail since May 13, 2025. The post in question allegedly read: Kamran Bhatti Proud of You, Pakistan Zindabad. Allowing the bail plea, Justice Santosh Rai observed that while posting such a message may provoke anger or disharmony among citizens could be punishable under Section 196 (promoting enmity) of the BNS, it did not attract the stringent provisions of Section 152 of the BNS. The applicant's counsel argued that Chaudhary had been falsely implicated due to ulterior motives, and he had only forwarded the post and not posted or circulated any video anywhere. He further submitted that the accused had no criminal history and there was no likelihood of his tampering with evidence if released on bail. The government counsel opposed the plea, claiming the applicant was a separatist and had previously engaged in similar activities. In the order dated September 25, 2025, the court observed that the government counsel had not submitted any evidence proving that the accused had made any statement against the integrity and sovereignty of India. The court also observed that Section 152 of the BNS was a newly introduced provision without an equivalent in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and cautioned that it should be invoked only with reasonable care.
The prosecution had alleged that the wife and her parents harassed and humiliated her husband, driving him to end his life in November 2022
Across India, only two high courts fully staffed; Allahabad tops with 76 vacancies
NEW DELHI: High Courts across India are grappling with 330 vacant judge positions out of a total sanctioned strength of 1,122, causing mounting delays and affecting millions of litigants, according to the Department of Justice data as of September 1, 2025. The Allahabad High Court has the highest number of vacancies at 76, including 35 permanent and 41 additional judges. Other major High Courts with significant gaps include Bombay (26), Punjab and Haryana (25), Calcutta (24), Madras (19), Patna (18), Delhi (16), and Rajasthan (7). Uttarakhand has two vacancies, Tripura has one. Out of 25 states, only the High Courts of Sikkim and Meghalaya are functioning at their full sanctioned strength. Data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) shows over 67 lakh pending cases across High Courts and more than 60,000 in the Supreme Court. While the Supreme Court operates at full strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, High Courts struggle with excessive workloads. Experts attribute the shortage to delays in the appointment process at both the Collegium and government levels, with repeated recommendations sometimes facing executive resistance or remaining unaddressed for months. Former High Court judges and legal experts say that the high vacancy rates in High Courts are a major obstacle to the justice system, causing delays and contributing to growing case backlogs. Retired Patna High Court Judge and legal expert, Justice Anajana Prakash, talking to the TNIE , said that the pendency of filling up judges' posts in HCs added to the woes of the disposal of cases, and as a result, ultimately, litigants suffer for this. The filling up of judges' posts in HCs should be addressed expeditiously. Until and unless the judiciary and the centre decide and deliberate upon this issue, the case disposal rate won't increase, which will ultimately affect the litigants at the state level, she said. Former Allahabad High Court Judge Justice S.R. Singh told the TNIE that judge vacancies in High Courts are a major concern, causing hardship for litigants. Vacancies of judges lead to an unnecessary workload for existing judges, which can compromise the quality of judgments and cause burnout. So a judicious choice must be there to appoint judges keeping in view the pendency across HCs, he said. The vacancies include 161 permanent posts and 169 additional (temporary) posts, the latter appointed by the President for a maximum of two years to address temporary workload spikes.
The Allahabad High Court convicted Awadhesh Kumar and Mata Prasad for the 1982 murder of Kumar's wife, Kusuma Devi, under the guise of exorcism. After a 43-year legal battle, they received life imprisonment, overturning a 1984 acquittal. The court condemned this shocking example of blind faith used to conceal a murder.
Classic case of blind faith: HC jails man for killing wife; nixes his 1984 acquittal
After a 43-year legal battle, the Allahabad High Court convicted an elderly man and an accomplice for strangling his wife in 1982. Overturning a 1984 acquittal, Awadhesh Kumar and Mata Prasad received life imprisonment for murder, masked as a ghost exorcism. The court condemned this shocking case of blind faith, also imposing fines and three-year sentences for destroying evidence.
HC dismisses plea to remove next friend in Krishna Janmabhoomi case
Prayagraj: In the Krishna Janmabhoomi legal dispute in Mathura, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed an application filed by Hindu side plaintiffs in suit No. 7 seeking the removal of Kaushal Kishore Thakur alias Kaushal Singh Tomar as the next friend of the deity, Shri Krishna Lala Virajman. Dismissing the application, Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Husband Must Pay Alimony To His Wife Even If He's A Minor, Rules Allahabad High Court
Justice Madan Pal Singh observed that while a minor may not be financially independent, upon reaching adulthood, he must assume responsibility for supporting himself and others
Plea for maintenance against minor husband maintainable, rules Allahabad High Court
LUCKNOW: While dealing with a case involving child marriage and a maintenance claim against a minor husband, the Allahabad High Court has held that application under Sections 125 and 128 Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) seeking maintenance against a minor was maintainable. The High Court, however, reduced the amount of maintenance. The Allahabad High Court recently observed that a husband, a minor at the time his wife sought maintenance, could not be compelled to pay allowance for that period, but would be considered liable once he turn 18. Modifying a Bareilly family courts order, the High Court reduced the maintenance amount from Rs 9,000 to Rs 4,500 per month, payable from January 2021, when the man turned 18. The couple's marriage was solemnized on July 10, 2016 and they were blessed with a daughter on September 21, 2018. In February 2019, the wife moved the family court seeking maintenance for herself and the child under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). In November 2023, the family court directed the man to pay Rs 5,000 to his wife and Rs 4,000 to his daughter every month from the date of the application. Challenging the court order, the man moved the Allahabad High Court, arguing that he was a minor both at the time of his marriage and when the maintenance plea was filed. He produced his high school certificate showing his date of birth as January 1, 2003, making him just 13 at the time of marriage and 16-year-old when the legal proceedings towards divorce commenced. Petitioner Abhishek Singh Yadav claimed that no case under Section 125 CrPC could be filed against a minor without impleading a guardian. His lawyer contended that petitioners wife had left him without sufficient cause, which under Section 125(4), disentitled her from claiming maintenance. It was also submitted that the petitioner was a student who had no income and the family court erred in assuming that he earned between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 per month. Even if he worked, his potential income was pegged at Rs 10,000 per month, making the Rs 9,000 maintenance order excessive and exorbitant. Opposing the submissions, the wifes counsel and the State insisted that a husband could not shirk his responsibility towards his wife and the minor child. They pointed out that the family possessed agricultural land, a tractor, and a car, indicating financial capacity. They also stressed that the aggrieved wife had to leave the matrimonial home due to dowry harassment, which was a sufficient ground to live separately. The bench of Justice Madan Pal Singh, after hearing both sides, observed that Section 125 CrPC contained no bar on proceedings against a minor husband. However, he acknowledged that until the man attained majority on January 1, 2021, he could not be presumed to have sufficient means to provide financial support. The Court, therefore, held him liable to pay maintenance only after that date. The High Court rejected the family courts assessment of income. Instead, it estimated the mans potential earning capacity as an able-bodied man at Rs 18,000 per month, equivalent to daily wage labour. Applying the Supreme Courts guidelines, which capped maintenance at 25 per cent of net income, the High Court fixed the allowance at Rs 2,500 per month for the wife and Rs 2,000 for the daughter. The arrears were directed to be recalculated on this basis, with any excess payment adjusted in future instalments.
Wife In Voidable Marriage Cannot Be Denied Maintenance Without Decree Of Nullity: Allahabad HC
The Allahabad High Court directed the family court to reconsider the womans claim for maintenance afresh, without disturbing the maintenance already awarded to her daughter.
Allahabad High Court Clears Shaadi.com Founder Anupam Mittal Of Criminal Liability In 2022 FIR
The high court concluded that Shaadi.com was indeed functioning as an intermediary and therefore enjoyed the protections of Section 79 of the IT Act
SC says Allahabad HC 'illogically turned' down bail plea of 71-year-old woman in forgery case
The Supreme Court intervened for a 71-year-old woman in a 2023 forgery case. The charge related to a 1971 land sale deed. The court criticized the Allahabad High Court's decision. It also questioned the police for registering the case. A bailable warrant was issued against the complainant lawyer. The court sought original records. The woman's arrest was stayed.
Ex-Haryana ministers son appointed registrar general of Allahabad high court
'Highly Unhygienic': Allahabad High Court Directs Registry To Reject Files Stained With Paan
Calling the practice 'disgusting and condemnable,' the bench said it reflects a lack of basic civic sense and could lead to the spread of infections.
'Highly Unhygienic': Allahabad High Court Orders Registry To Reject Files With Paan Saliva Stains
The Allahabad High Court has expressed serious concern over some registry staff indulging in the highly unhygienic practice of using saliva - particularly when chewing paan or paan masala - to turn pages in court files, leaving reddish stains
LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court has expressed serious concern over some registry staff indulging in the highly unhygienic practice of using saliva - particularly when chewing paan or paan masala - to turn pages in court files, leaving reddish stains and posing an infection risk. A Lucknow bench of Justice Shree Prakash Singh passed an order on September 22, directing the court registry and government law offices not to accept any file found with red marks from saliva. The order was issued while hearing a petition filed by Krishna Vati and another litigant. As the court took up the file, it immediately noticed reddish saliva marks used for turning pages. The bench noted that this disgusting and condemnable practice could occur when the paper book is prepared by a counsel's clerk, an oath commissioner, registry officials, or even the offices of the government advocate or chief standing counsel. Observing that such stains are seen every other day, the bench felt compelled to issue the restraining order. The court observed, This is a highly unhygienic situation which is not only disgusting and condemnable but at the same time it shows the lack of basic civil sense. The bench emphasised that if this filthy practice is not stopped, it could cause infection to those who come into contact with the papers. Consequently, the bench directed the senior registrar and the official in-charge of the registry to ensure that all incoming paper books, petitions, and applications are carefully examined. Any documents found with saliva spots of any kind should not be entertained or accepted. The court issued similar instructions to the office of the government advocate and chief standing counsel, directing them to mandate compliance by their respective officials.
SC issues notice to UP govt on pleas of Azam Khan's wife, son in birth certificate case
The Supreme Court seeks a response from the Uttar Pradesh government. This concerns pleas by Tazeen Fatma and Abdullah Azam Khan. They seek suspension of their conviction in a forged birth certificate case. The Allahabad High Court earlier declined to suspend their conviction. This decision impacts their political careers. The Supreme Court questioned the rarity of staying convictions.
Allahabad HC raps registry staff for using saliva on court papers
Bench terms practice disgusting and unhygienic; directs Registry and law officers to curb it
Allahabad HC to hear Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case on Oct 9
The Allahabad High Court has fixed October 9 for the next hearing in the Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah mosque dispute in Mathura. This follows the court's August 1 ruling, which declared 18 suits filed by Hindu worshippers maintainable for land possession and temple restoration. The controversy involves allegations of a temple's demolition for the mosque's construction.
The order was challenged before the special MP/MLA sessions court which allowed the revision and remanded the matter to magisterial court to hear it afre
PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court on Friday junked Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's plea against an order remanding the plea for FIR against him, for his purported utterances in the US, to the magistrate court to decide afresh. Justice Sameer Jain was hearing the plea filed by the Congress leader. One Nageshwar Mishra of Varanasi was stated to have filed an application before the magisterial court dealing with MP/MLA cases in Varanasi. The court on November 28, 2024, rejected the application for FIR against Gandhi and said the purported speech was given in the US, so it was beyond its jurisdiction. Remarks on Sikhs: No intention to incite rebellion, submits Rahul Gandhi in Allahabad HC The order was challenged before the special MP/MLA sessions court which allowed the revision and remanded the matter to the magisterial court to hear it afresh. The complainant said in September 2024, during a program in the US, Gandhi said that the environment in India was not good for Sikhs. Mishra claimed there were protests against his statement, calling it provocative and divisive in society, and sought the registration of an FIR against the purported statement in the Sarnath police station of Varanasi. He moved the magisterial court after failing to get it registered. Senior Advocate Gopal Chaturvedi, who represented Gandhi, had submitted that Mishra's application did not mention the date of the purported statement. Additional advocate general Manish Goel, however, said that the point whether there was a prima facie case or not, the high court ought to examine whether it should be decided by the magistrate concerned. He said if it is a statement on foreign soil by the leader of the opposition against India, then it was a matter of investigation, and further, there was an admission that Gandhi made utterances. Rahul Gandhi says 1984 anti-Sikh riots 'wrong'
The Ganges River is drying faster than ever heres what it means for the region and the world
The Ganges, a lifeline for hundreds of millions across South Asia, is drying at a rate scientists say is unprecedented in recorded history. Climate change , shifting monsoons, relentless extraction and damming are pushing the mighty river towards collapse, with consequences for food, water and livelihoods across the region. For centuries, the Ganges and its tributaries have sustained one of the worlds most densely populated regions. Stretching from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, the whole river basin supports over 650 million people, a quarter of Indias freshwater, and much of its food and economic value. Yet new research reveals the rivers decline is accelerating beyond anything seen in recorded history. In recent decades, scientists have documented alarming transformations across many of the worlds big rivers, but the Ganges stands apart for its speed and scale. The Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers combine to form the worlds largest delta, covering most of Bangladesh. Rainer Lesniewski / shutterstock In a new study , scientists reconstructed streamflow records going back 1,300 years to show that the basin has faced its worst droughts over the period in just the last few decades. And those droughts are well outside the range of natural climate variability. Stretches of river that once supported year-round navigation are now impassable in summer. Large boats that once travelled the Ganges from Bengal and Bihar through Varanasi and Allahabad now run aground where water once flowed freely. Canals that used to irrigate fields for weeks longer a generation ago now dry up early. Even some wells that protected families for decades are yielding little more than a trickle. Global climate models have failed to predict the severity of this drying, pointing to something deeply unsettling: human and environmental pressures are combining in ways we dont yet understand. Water has been diverted into irrigation canals, groundwater has been pumped for agriculture, and industries have proliferated along the rivers banks. More than a thousand dams and barrages have radically altered the river itself. And as the world warms, the monsoon which feeds the Ganges has grown increasingly erratic. The result is a river system increasingly unable to replenish itself. Melting glaciers, vanishing rivers At the rivers source high in the Himalayas, the Gangotri glacier has retreated nearly a kilometer in just two decades. The pattern is repeating across the worlds largest mountain range, as rising temperatures are melting glaciers faster than ever. Initially, this brings sudden floods from glacial lakes . In the long-run, it means far less water flowing downstream during the dry season. These glaciers are often termed the water towers of Asia. But as those towers shrink, the summer flow of water in the Ganges and its tributaries is dwindling too. Humans are making things worse The reckless extraction of groundwater is aggravating the situation. The Ganges-Brahmaputra basin is one of the most rapidly depleting aquifers in the world, with water levels falling by 1520 millimeters each year . Much of this groundwater is already contaminated with arsenic and fluoride, threatening both human health and agriculture . The role of human engineering cannot be ignored either. Projects like the Farakka Barrage in India have reduced dry-season flows into Bangladesh, making the land saltier and threatening the Sundarbans, the worlds largest mangrove forest. Decisions to prioritise short-term economic gains have undermined the rivers ecological health. Across northern Bangladesh and West Bengal, smaller rivers are already drying up in the summer, leaving communities without water for crops or livestock. The disappearance of these smaller tributaries is a harbinger of what may happen on a larger scale if the Ganges itself continues its downward spiral. If nothing changes, experts warn that millions of people across the basin could face severe food shortages within the next few decades. Saving the Ganges The need for urgent, coordinated action cannot be overstated. Piecemeal solutions will not be enough. Its time for a comprehensive rethinking of how the river is managed. That will mean reducing unsustainable extraction of groundwater so supplies can recharge. It will mean environmental flow requirements to keep enough water in the river for people and ecosystems. And it will require improved climate models that integrate human pressures (irrigation and damming, for example) with monsoon variability to guide water policy. Transboundary cooperation is also a must. India, Bangladesh and Nepal must do better at sharing data, managing dams, and planning for climate change. International funding and political agreements must treat rivers like the Ganges as global priorities. Above all, governance must be inclusive, so local voices shape river restoration efforts alongside scientists and policymakers. The Ganges is more than a river. It is a lifeline, a sacred symbol, and a cornerstone of South Asian civilisation. But it is drying faster than ever before, and the consequences of inaction are unthinkable. The time for warnings has passed. We must act now to ensure the Ganges continues to flow not just for us, but for generations to come. Mehebub Sahana , Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography, University of Manchester This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
Allahabad HC rejects Rahul Gandhis plea in Sikh remarks case
The Allahabad High Court has dismissed Rahul Gandhi's plea. This plea challenged a case over his Sikh community remarks. A Varanasi court is asked to pause proceedings until the High Court's final judgment. The case began after a complaint about Gandhi's US speech. The complainant alleged the speech questioned Sikh safety in India. Gandhi's lawyer argued his remarks were misconstrued.
Former SP MLA Irfan Solanki granted bail by Allahabad HC after 24 months in jail
LUCKNOW: Former Samajwadi Party MLA from Sisamau in Kanpur, Irfan Solanki, was granted bail on Thursday in a case filed against him under the Gangster Act. His brother Rizwan Solanki and associate Israel Aatewala also secured bail. The decision, delivered by Justice Sameer Jain of the Allahabad High Court, had been reserved on September 2. It clears the way for Solankis release from Maharajganj Jail, where he and his associates had been lodged for 24 months. During the hearing, the state government, represented by Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal, opposed the bail, arguing that Irfan was the main accused and not entitled to relief. Defence counsel Imran Ullah countered that other co-accused had already been granted bail and that the same principle should apply. The court accepted the argument and extended bail to all three accused. Irfan Solanki was booked under the Gangster Act on December 26, 2022, after being accused of setting a temporary house belonging to his neighbour, Najir Fatima, on fire in an attempt to force her family to vacate the property, so the legislators family could occupy it. In June 2024, the MP-MLA court in Kanpur sentenced Irfan, his brother Rizwan, and three others to seven years in prison in the Jajmau arson case, along with with a fine of Rs 30,500. Following the gangster proceedings, properties worth over Rs 30 crore linked to Solanki and his aides were seized, while the Enforcement Directorate raided five of his locations, uncovering a long list of assets. While lodged in Kanpur Jail, Solanki was visited by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, after which he was shifted to Maharajganj Jail. Solankis political career began in 2007 when he won the Arya Nagar assembly seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket. He later shifted to Sisamau, retaining the seat in 2012, 2017, and 2022, even surviving the BJPs 2017 wave. His wife, Naseem Solanki, now represents Sisamau in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
SC puts on hold Allahabad HC ban on Ramleela in Firozabad school premises
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh allowed the festivities to continue subject to the condition that no inconvenience is caused to students
Supreme Court allows Ram Leela at school ground, stays Allahabad High Court interim stay
The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted the continuation of Ram Leela celebrations at a school ground in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, setting aside an interim stay imposed by the Allahabad High Court.
Allahabad High Court stays proceedings against Triple Talaq accused
The counsel for petitioners submitted that the applicants are Muslims belonging to Shia community, which do not practice Triple Talaq, or talaq-e-biddat
The Uttar Pradesh district administration has to identify alternative place to play Ramlila so that students have exclusive use of the playground, the Supreme Court observed
If conversion illegal, marriage invalid, rules Allahabad HC
The Allahabad High Court ruled that a marriage based on an illegal religious conversion is automatically invalid. The court found Jainab Parveens conversion to Islam forged, making her marriage to Mohd. Bin Quasim unsustainable under Muslim law. However, the court noted both parties can legally marry under the Special Marriage Act
If Conversion Is Found Illegal, Couple Cannot Be Recognised As Married: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that if conversion is illegal, a marriage based on it will be automatically invalid and the man and woman cannot be recognised as a married couple in the eyes of law.
Marriages Based on Illegal Conversion Are Invalid: Allahabad HC
Prayagraj, Sept 24: In a landmark judgment, the Allahabad High Court has ruled that marriages based on illegal religious conversion are automatically invalid, and the parties involved cannot be recognized as a married couple under the law. The verdict was delivered by Justice Saurabh Srivastava on a writ petition filed by Mohammad Bin Qasim alias [] The post Marriages Based on Illegal Conversion Are Invalid: Allahabad HC appeared first on Northlines .
Allahabad HC: Marriage Invalid If Based on Illegal Conversion
Court rules forged conversion certificates cannot validate marriage, directs couple to wed under Special Marriage Act
If conversion is found illegal, couple cannot be recognised as married: Allahabad HC
The Allahabad High Court declared that a marriage based on an illegal religious conversion is invalid, denying legal recognition to the couple. The court noted discrepancies in the conversion certificate presented by Mohammad Bin Qasim alias Akbar and Jainab Parveen alias Chandrakanta.
Allahabad High Court stays EOW probe against 558 aided madrassas in Uttar Pradesh
The petition added that the Act clearly states that the commission shall not inquire into any matter after the expiry of one year
Allahabad High Court stays EOW probe into 558 aided madrasas in UP
LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court stayed a probe against 558 aided madrassas in Uttar Pradesh by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The EOW had been conducting the probe into alleged violation of human rights in pursuance of a direction issued by the National Human Rights Commission (HRC) based on a complaint made by a man named Mohammad Talha Ansari against those madrassas. Challenging the NHRC direction as well as the ongoing inquiry, a petition was filed before the Allahabad High Court, urging it to quash the orders of the NHRC dated February 28 and June 11, 2025. The petition further prayed for quashing a consequential government order of April 23 for the inquiry. On Monday, a division bench, comprising Justice Saral Srivastava and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai, while staying the orders, issued notice to the NHRC as well as to the complainant, fixing November 17 as the next date of hearing. It was submitted before the court that under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the functions of the commission are specifically enumerated. It was further submitted that Section 36 of the Act clearly provided that the commission shall not inquire into any matter after the expiry of one year from the date on which the alleged act constituting a violation of human rights was said to have been committed. It was also submitted before the court that under Section 12-A, the commission may inquire suo motu, or on a petition presented by a victim or any person on his behalf, or on the basis of any direction or order of any court. However, in the present case, none of the conditions stipulated under Section 12-A is attracted. The petition further urged that the complaint is silent regarding the date of the alleged act constituting a violation of human rights, and since the averments made therein are vague and do not disclose any specific date, it is not possible to ascertain whether the complaint was filed within one year from the date of the alleged violation. Hence, it is submitted that the entire exercise undertaken by the commission is without jurisdiction. The court directed respondents to file their respective replies within four weeks.
Can Erasing Caste From Records Erase Bias From Society? UP's Reform Raises Questions
The government issued sweeping directions to drop caste identifiers in compliance with an Allahabad HC judgment that termed caste glorification violative of constitutional morality
Can't expect high courts to handle all matters expeditiously with half strength: SC
The Supreme Court has stated that it does not have supervisory control over high courts, addressing a plea concerning delays in the Allahabad High Court. Justices Nath and Mehta's bench declined to expedite a 13-year-old appeal, noting that high courts are struggling with half their sanctioned strength.
UP Government Bans Caste-Based Political Rallies; Opposition Slams Move
Following Allahabad High Court's directive, UP government has banned caste-based rallies and public events with political motives.
Ordering a prohibition on caste-based rallies, officiating Chief Secretary (CS) Deepak Kumar said they are organised for political purposes and promote caste conflict in society, which is contrary to public order and national unity.
UP government issues GO against caste columns in police records, caste-based political rallies
LUCKNOW: Days after the Allahabad High Court sought curbs on caste glorification and a bar on mentioning of the caste of the accused in police records, the UP government issued a GO announcing changes in the performa of the FIR, other related police records. Through the government order, the authorities are now prohibited of the use of caste names on vehicles, boards, or stickers to earmark colonies or areas where a certain caste majority resides. The police and district administration have also been told to keep a close watch on social media and crack down on efforts to either praise a certain caste or to use caste to create public discord. The orders have to be implemented with immediate effect. Moreover, the state government has also prohibited caste-based political rallies, stating that they were a threat to 'public order' and 'national unity' -- a step likely to have far-reaching political implications with the UP state assembly election due in 2027. Citing a September 16 Allahabad High Court order, the GO issued late Sunday evening by officiating Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar to all the district magistrates, secretaries, and heads of police across State and districts, said caste-based rallies organised for political purposes promoted caste conflict in society. The 10-point Government Order included directives to issue challans to vehicles bearing caste names, slogans and stickers under relevant sections of the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. However, the FIR related to criminal offences registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been kept out of the ambit of the GO. Interestingly, the order would have an impact on political gatherings of caste based parties, including Apna Dal (S), led by Kurmis, NISHAD party or Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, led by Rajbhars. Even the Opposition would bear the heat as the state assembly polls inch closer. As per the GO, officials are aware of the governments stance towards an inclusive policy that is consistent with constitutional values and directs authorities to take effective action against those who incite conflict through 'caste-based displays and protests'. Notably, in its order, the Allahabad High Court directed the states home department and DGP to frame and implement standard operating procedures by amending police manuals/regulations, if necessary, to prohibit caste disclosure in all police documents, barring cases lodged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The GO also asks authorities to correspond with the National Crime Records Bureau to delete the column mentioning an accuseds caste in the format used on the CCTNS portal and to make necessary arrangements in the CCTNS portal to mention the name of the mother along with the name of the father of the accused. Until this change is made, caste information should be 'left out' entirely from the portal. It provides that in Police records, including panchanamas, arrest memos, personal search memos, and notice boards at police stations, should not bear caste information of any person except in case of crimes under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It also provides for the names of the mother and father of the suspect in police records. Vehicles with caste names, slogans, and stickers glorifying caste should be challaned under the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Moreover, signboards or announcements glorifying caste and declaring geographical areas as caste areas or estates should be removed immediately, and effective steps should be taken to ensure that no such boards are put up in the future. Social media messages glorifying or denigrating any caste should be strictly monitored. Strict action should be taken against those who spread caste hatred or incite caste sentiments through social media, the directive stated. In its order, the high court had also asked the state government to prepare a regulatory framework to amend the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) to explicitly ban caste-based slogans and caste identifiers on all private and public vehicles. It also said that provisions under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, must be strengthened to flag and act against caste-glorifying, hate-inducing content on social media.
'Not Mere Criticism': Allahabad HC Refuses To Quash FIR Against Bhojpuri Singer For Posts On PM
Court noted that Rathores posts, which circulated widely online and even gained traction in Pakistan, were uploaded shortly after the Pahalgam terror attack.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Delhi Police and sought its response, after hearing the bail plea of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Shifa Ur Rehman and others in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. A two-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria -- while issuing the notice to Delhi police -- posted the matter for further hearing to October 7. During the brief hearing on Monday, Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for many accused persons, including Imam, said they are students and had been in jail for over five years. After hearing the submissions, the apex court said, 'We will hear the issue' and decided to hear the case on October 7, when the replies of the Delhi police will be filed in the SC. On September 6,the former JNU student, Imam, moved the SC afterthe Delhi High Court rejected his bail plea. He sought bail in the larger conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in relation to the 2020 North East Delhi riots case. Similarly, the former JNU studentUmar Khalid on September 10 had approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's order rejecting his bail under theUnlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case related to the alleged criminal conspiracy in the February 2020 riots in the national capital. Delhi HC denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and 7 others after five years in jail without trial According to the prosecution, Delhi Police had bookedImamunder the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On January 28, 2020,he was arrested by the Delhi Polices Crime Branchfrom Bihars Jehanabad in a sedition case for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. The riots took place in February 2020, following clashes over the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). As per the Delhi Police, the riots caused the death of 53 persons and injured hundreds. The prosecution alleged that the accused,Imam, had hatched a larger criminal conspiracy to cause multiple riots. The FIR in this case was registered by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the UAPA. Imamwas booked in multiple FIRs across several states, mostly under sedition and UAPA charges.Besides Delhi,Imamis facing FIRs in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Imamwas granted bail by the Delhi HC last year for the alleged speeches he gave at Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. In the sedition cases registered in Aligarh and Guwahati, he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in 2021 and the Gauhati HC in 2020, respectively. He was also booked in FIRs (First Information Report) in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Sharjeel Imam moves Supreme Court against bail denial in 2020 Delhi riots case The Delhi HC had on September 2 rejected the bail plea of nine persons, including Khalid andImam, in the case, saying conspiratorial violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens couldn't be allowed. The HC also rejected the bail plea of Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima and Shadab Ahmed. The social activist and former JNU student Khalidhas been in jail since his arrest by the Delhi Police on September 14, 2020, for his alleged involvement in the Delhi riots case. He was booked under the very stringent UAPA charge for his alleged larger conspiracy behind the Delhi Riots case. He denied the charges and claimed innocence in the case. Khalidhad earlier approached the top court challenging an October 2022 Delhi High Court verdict that had denied bail to him. Since then, he has been in jail and never been on bail, despite his best efforts and filing constant appeals across courts, pleading to be released on bail. He had initially, in the Delhi High Court, sought bail on grounds that he neither had any criminal role in the violence in the city's North-East area nor any conspiratorial connect with any other accused in the case. The Delhi police had opposed the bail plea ofKhalidin the HC. The police also arrestedImam, activist KhalidSaifi, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, former AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) Councillor, Tahir Hussain and several others under the stringent law in the case. According to the prosecution, the violence had erupted following protests against the CAA and NRC. The protests had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. Khalidwas charge-sheeted in the case, along with other accused persons.
Allahabad HC Orders Ban on Caste Mention in Police Records, Vehicle Displays
Allahabad, Sept 21: Taking strong exception to police practices, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Home Department and the DGP to frame standard operating procedures prohibiting the disclosure of caste in FIRs, investigations, and other police records, except in cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Bench of [] The post Allahabad HC Orders Ban on Caste Mention in Police Records, Vehicle Displays appeared first on Northlines .
Allahabad HC refuses to quash FIR against singer Neha Singh Rathore over her social media posts
The High Court said Ms. Rathores posts were derogatory and disrespectful toward the Prime Minister Narendra Modi
'No Mention Of Caste In FIR': Allahabad High Court Bars Disclosure In Police Documents
The Allahabad High Court directed the UP Home Department and the DGP to implement standard operating procedures to prohibit the disclosure of caste in all police documents.
Allahabad high court directs UP govt to remove caste references from FIRs and public records
LUCKNOW: In a landmark judgment, the Allahabad High Court has taken strong exception to the trend of alleged caste glorification in society and directed the Uttar Pradesh government to remove caste references from FIRs, police documents, public records, motor vehicles, and public signboards. Issuing a series of directives, the Court observed that such glorification of caste is anti-national, and asserted that reverence for the Constitution, rather than for lineage, is the highest form of patriotism and the truest expression of national service. A single-judge bench of Justice Vinod Diwaker noted that for India to become genuinely developed by 2047, the deeply entrenched caste system must be eradicated. This goal demands sustained, multi-level efforts from all levels of governmentthrough progressive policies, robust anti-discrimination laws, and transformative social programs, the Court stated, while flagging the absence of a comprehensive law aimed at dismantling the caste system and its pervasive impact on society. Caste Mention in FIRs Deemed Unconstitutional The Court specifically condemned the practice of recording caste in FIRs, recovery memos, and investigation documents, calling such identity profiling a violation of constitutional morality. Justice Diwaker made the observations while hearing a Section 482 CrPC plea, in which it was noted that the caste identities of the accused had been mentioned in both the FIR and the seizure memo. Earlier, the Court had asked the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, to justify the practice. The DGP, citing government-prescribed formats, defended it as a method to avoid identity confusion. However, the Court rejected the explanation, calling it a legal fallacy. With modern tools like Aadhar, fingerprint data, mobile numbers, and parental information available, the Court said the practice of mentioning caste for identification was not only outdated but unconstitutional. The bench further lamented that despite Supreme Court directives prohibiting the mention of caste in pleadings and cause titles, the UP Police continued to record caste in official documents. It is unfortunate that in the first quarter of the 21st century, the police are still relying on caste as a means of identification, the Court remarked. Key Directives Issued by the Court The Court issued comprehensive directives, including: Deletion of caste columns from FIRs, recovery memos, arrest and surrender memos, final reports, and notice boards at police stations. Inclusion of the mothers name for identification, alongside the father's or husbands name. Amendments to Motor Vehicles Rules to remove caste-based slogans and identifiers from private and public vehicles. Removal of caste-based signboards that label villages, towns, or colonies as belonging to a particular caste. Monitoring and action against caste-glorifying content on social media platforms under the IT Rules, 2021. Wider Implications and National Impact The Court directed its Registrar to forward a copy of the judgment to the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, who is to place it before the Chief Minister, and also to the Union Home Secretary, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Electronics and IT, and the Press Council of India. Citing Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Court observed: Castes are anti-national because they generate jealousy and antipathy between caste and caste. It added, A citizens true pride must lie not in caste but in character, not in legacy but in equality and fraternity. Justice Diwaker further noted that the caste systemput in the grave by the framers of the Constitutionis trying to raise its ugly head in new forms, posing a serious threat to secularism and national unity. The Court called caste glorification through vehicles, signboards, and social spaces a coded assertion of social power that contradicts India's constitutional values, declaring such practices as anti-national. Call for a National Campaign Against Caste Prejudice The Court also expressed concern over the absence of a national campaign against caste prejudice, similar to those conducted for cleanliness or gender equality. The law alone cannot change hearts and minds, the bench observed, urging the government to launch education and awareness campaigns targeting caste discriminationstarting in schools and extending to public officials, community centers, and media platforms. Justice Diwaker concluded by stating that the purpose of the observations was to invoke constitutional morality and awaken a sense of compassion and justice in the consciences of those holding the highest constitutional offices.
The High Court came down heavily on the police and said that the investigative impartiality and enforcement neutrality must be consciously cultivated, especially in a society where caste is pervasive
Allahabad HC grants bail to Umar Ansari in property forgery case
LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court, on Friday, granted bail to Umar Ansari, the younger son of gangster-turned-politician late Mukhtar Ansari, in connection with a criminal case alleging that he used fake documents and forged the signature of his mother, Afsha Ansari, to get a property confiscated under the Gangster Act. The bail was granted by a single-judge bench of Justice Gautam Chowdhary. According to Umars lawyer, Upendra Upadhya, Umar would walk out of jail after this bail order, as it was the only criminal case pending against him. Umar Ansari is the younger brother of Abbas Ansari, an MLA from Mau Sadar, elected on the ticket of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party in the 2022 Assembly polls. This criminal case was registered against Umar Ansari at Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur on August 3, 2025. It was alleged that he had prepared fake documents and forged the signature of his mother, Afsha Ansari, to get the property confiscated under the Gangster Act released from court. Notably, Afsha Ansari has been declared an absconder with a reward of Rs one lakh on her arrest in multiple cases. Following the registration of this case, the police had arrested Umar Ansari from Lucknow on the same night and sent him to jail. After Umars bail plea was rejected by the lower court, he filed the present bail application before the High Court, requesting release during the pendency of the trial. During the proceedings, counsel Upendra Upadhya argued that no complaint was made by Afsha Ansari regarding the use of her signature, and the allegation was solely made by the police. He further contended that the alleged fake signature was not proven through proper legal procedures.
Uttar Pradesh: Fresh charges delay Azam Khans release after high court bail
LUCKNOW: Even after securing bail from the Allahabad High Court on Thursday in the Rampur Quality Bar land grabbing case, the release of senior Samajwadi Party leader and former UP cabinet minister Azam Khan from Sitapur district jail has hit a legal hurdle. Khan, who has been lodged in jail for 23 months, was expected to walk free, but fresh charges filed by Rampur Police in another case have stalled his release. On Thursday, Justice Samir Jain of the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Khan in the case related to the alleged land grabbing of Quality Bar in Rampur district. This was the last of the many cases in which Azam Khan had been seeking bail, and the order had been reserved on August 21. His lawyers had claimed that the order would finally pave the way for Khans release, as it was the last pending criminal case requiring bail. However, late on Thursday evening, his counsel Imran Ullah informed media persons that in FIR number 126/20registered in Rampur and linked to Mohammad Ali Jauhar University and the alleged encroachment of enemy propertyRampur Police had invoked three additional IPC sections: 467 (forgery of government documents), 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and 201 (destruction of evidence). Initially, the police had charged Khan under IPC Sections 420, 120-B, and 468. He had already secured bail for all those charges. But with these new sections added, he will now have to apply for fresh bail, the lawyer said. The added offences carry punishments ranging from seven years to life imprisonment. The matter is scheduled for hearing in the Rampur MP/MLA court on Saturday, September 20.
Allahabad HC grants bail to Mukhtar Ansari's son in forgery case
He was accused of using fake documents and the forged signature of his mother Afsa Ansari to get a property released in his favour
Allahabad High Court grants bail to Azam Khan in an encroachment case
Senior Samajwadi Party leader gets third bail from the High Court in a fortnight
Allahabad HC grants bail to Azam Khan in Quality Bar encroachment case
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday granted bail to senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in the Quality Bar land encroachment case in Rampur district. Justice Samir Jain had reserved the order on August 21 after hearing counsels for the parties. In 2019, an FIR was lodged against Syed Jafar Ali Jafri, Azam Khans Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
SP Leader Azam Khan Gets Bail In Land Grab Case, Set To Walk Out Of Jail After 23 Months
Allahabad High Court granted bail to Azam Khan in the Rampur Quality Bar land grab case, paving way for his release from Sitaupr jail.
Allahabad HC Refuses Judicial Probe Into Police Brutality On SRMU Law Students
The court, however, made it clear that its order should not be understood as condoning any illegal act by the authorities or the university
Circulation Of Video Made In Pakistan: Allahabad HC Allows Bail, Flags Right To Speedy Trial
The bench noted that while the allegations were serious, the accused had no previous criminal history and faced an uncertain wait for trial to conclude
Mere Talking Not Enticing: Allahabad HC Quashes Case Against Man Accused of Kidnapping Girl
The case originated from an FIR lodged by the victim's uncle, alleging that Dubey had enticed his 16-year-old niece away
Don't worry about us, says HC; dismisses plea against 'Jolly LLB 3' movie
The filmmakers informed the Bench that a similar plea against the movie was filed before the Allahabad High Court, and the same was dismissed
Judicial experimentalism versus the right to justice
The top courts endorsement of the Allahabad High Courts steps to prevent the misuse of Section 498A IPC affects the victims pursuit of justice
Punjab panchayats pass resolutions asking migrant labourers without documents to leave
CHANDIGARH: Following in the footsteps of Maharashtrawhich has often been in the spotlight for targeting outsiders amid the Maha Marathi rowseveral panchayats in Punjab are now passing resolutions directing migrant labourers to leave their villages. Around 27 villages in Hoshiarpur district have passed such resolutions, announcing that they will no longer issue residence verification (residence certificates) to migrant labourers in their respective areas. Migrants without valid documents issued in Punjab are being asked to leave within a week. According to the resolutions, those without proper paperwork will not be allowed to reside in these villages. These decisions come in the wake of the gruesome murder of a five-year-old boy in Hoshiarpur on September 9, allegedly by a migrant worker. The incident has triggered growing resentment against migrant populations across various parts of the state. The Chabbewal Panchayat passed its resolution on Sunday. Charanjit Singh, a panchayat member and husband of sarpanch Reena Sidhu, confirmed that many other villages in the region have either passed similar resolutions or are in the process of doing so. There is unity among villages across communities and castes on this issue, he added. On September 13, a meeting was held in Bajwara village, attended by sarpanches from around 27 hamlets, including Chak Sadhu, Nandan, Singhpur, Bassi Bahian, Dada, Kila Baroon, Allahabad, Bilaspur, and Anandgarh. A joint resolution was passed stating that panchayats would no longer attest any official documents of migrant workers lacking valid identity proof issued by the Punjab government. It was also resolved that such migrants would not be allowed to stay in the villages. A formal request was submitted to Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain for administrative support in implementing these resolutions. Similar decisions were also reported from Jaja and Zahura villages in the Tanda sub-division. Bajwara sarpanch Rajesh Kumar alias Bobby Mahe said: Migrants without valid identity documents have been asked to vacate the villages. Those already living here with documents such as Aadhaar or PAN have been informed that their relatives arriving from outside will not be eligible for any verification by the panchayat. He further stated that migrant workers residing on rent would only be allowed to do so if their landlords submit a written undertaking to the panchayat, taking full responsibility for them. Mahe claimed that around 200-250 migrant labourers currently live in Bajwara. He alleged that many of them have illegally encroached upon panchayat land, building permanent houses with electricity meters and water connections without paying rent or obtaining legal permission. A complaint regarding these encroachments was reportedly submitted to the Deputy Commissioner on September 8. He added that approximately 25 panchayats in the district have passed resolutions to withhold document verification for migrants since the September 9 incident. The Baddla Panchayat's resolution specifically mentioned members of the Gujjar community, who are also migrants. It instructed that any migrant with criminal records must report to sarpanch Kamlesh Rani. The resolution further stated that individuals with Aadhaar cards showing Baddla village as their address must submit photocopies of their documents to the sarpanch. Additionally, farmers employing such workers are required to provide written details about them. In Purhiran village, which also has a significant migrant population, a similar resolution was passed. Elsewhere, two village panchayats in Bathinda districtDeepes and Gehari Bhagipassed comparable resolutions. The Deepes village panchayat even held a protest, declaring that outsiders will not be permitted in the village. Labourers were instructed to stay near tube well motors rather than inside the village. Farmers hiring migrants must also ensure that their police verification is completed. In Gehari Bhagi, the diktat was even more extreme. The resolution stated: Migrants cannot purchase property or homes in the village. They are prohibited from registering voter IDs or Aadhaar cards with village addresses. They may only reside in tube wells or farm huts, not within village residential limits. Farmers employing them will be held entirely responsible and must ensure police verification. Even Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Sidhu Pur backed the resolutions, claiming that migrants, particularly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, are disrupting the social fabric of the region. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann responded to the village panchayats' stance by cautioning against any form of discrimination. He said, Tomorrow, Punjabis with businesses in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) or Kolkata could be targeted the same way. There cannot be such discrimination. Earlier this year, in July, the Lakhanpur Garcha Patti village panchayat in Fatehgarh Sahib district ordered all illegally residing migrants to vacate within a week. The resolution cited harassment of women and children by migrants loitering in the area. Sarpanch Barinder Singh Binda said that while migrants initially came to work in fields, many had permanently settled near canal banks in unauthorized shanties. Last year, similar controversial measures were adopted by Jandpur and Mundo Sangtia village panchayats in SAS Nagar district. On November 24, the Jawaharke village panchayat in Mansa district went even further by passing a resolution that prohibited residents from marrying migrants. The panchayat warned that any resident violating the order would be expelled from the village.
Denial Of Marriage Post Consensual Physical Relationship Not An Offence: High Court
Merely refusal to get married by a man after a consensual physical relationship for four years would not constitute a cognisable offence, the Allahabad High Court has said while rejecting the plea of his live-in partner who had accused him of rape.
Healthy traditions of society should be protected: Former Chief Justice of Allahabad HC
Unfortunately, social ills are leading over social morality now in the name of traditional customs and culture
J&K Bank strengthens corporate ties through customer meets in Delhi Zone
Excelsior Correspondent DELHI, Sept 13: Jammu & Kashmir Bank organized a series of corporate customer meets across the Delhi zone, reinforcing its engagement with corporate clients and addressing their evolving business needs. The meetings were held in Badohi, Allahabad, and Varanasi over the past two days. The sessions were chaired by MD & CEO Amitava Chatterjee and attended by General Manager & Divisional Head (ROI) Khursheed Muzaffar, Cluster Head (Lucknow) Ashok Kumar, besides other senior officials of the Bank. A [] The post J&K Bank strengthens corporate ties through customer meets in Delhi Zone appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Allahabad HC says man insulting tricolour deserves no sympathy, denies bail
2020 Delhi riots case: SC to hear bail plea of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and others on September 12
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Friday the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and two other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case. A two-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria, will take up the matter. On September 6,the former JNU student, SharjeelImam, moved the SC, afterthe Delhi High Court rejected his bail plea. He sought bail in the larger conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in relation to the 2020 North East Delhi riots case. Similarly, the former JNU studentUmar Khalid on September 10, Wednesday, approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's order rejecting his bail under theUnlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case related to the alleged criminal conspiracy in the February 2020 riots in the national capital. According to the prosecution, Delhi Police had bookedImamunder the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On January 28, 2020,he was arrested by the Delhi Polices Crime Branchfrom Bihars Jehanabad in a sedition case for allegedly making inflammatory speeches in the Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. The riots took place in February 2020, following clashes over the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). As per the Delhi Police, the riots caused the death of 53 persons and injured hundreds. The prosecution alleged that the accused,Imam, had hatched a larger criminal conspiracy to cause multiple riots. The FIR in the case was registered by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the UAPA. Imamwas booked in multiple FIRs across several states, mostly under sedition and UAPA charges. Imamis also facing FIRs in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Imamwas granted bail by the Delhi HC last year for the alleged speeches he gave at Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. In the sedition cases registered in Aligarh and Guwahati, he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in 2021 and the Gauhati High Court in 2020, respectively. He was also booked in FIRs (First Information Report) in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. The Delhi HC had on September 2 rejected the bail plea of nine persons, including Khalid and Imam, in the case, saying conspiratorial violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens couldn't be allowed. The HC, which had rejected other accused's bail plea, included Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima and Shadab Ahmed. The social activist and former JNU student Khalidhas been in jail since his arrest by the Delhi Police on September 14, 2020, for his alleged involvement in the Delhi riots case. He was booked under the very stringent UAPA charge, for his alleged larger conspiracy behind the Delhi Riots case. He denied the charges and claimed innocence in the case. Khalidhad earlier approached the top court challenging an October 2022 Delhi High Court verdict that had denied bail to him. Since then, he has been in jail and never been on bail, despite his best efforts and filing constant appeals across courts, pleading to be released on bail. He had initially, in the Delhi High Court, sought bail on grounds that he neither had any criminal role in the violence in the city's North-East area nor any conspiratorial connect with any other accused in the case. However, the Delhi police had opposed the bail plea ofKhalidin the HC. The police had also arrested Imam, activist KhalidSaifi, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, former AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) Councillor, Tahir Hussain and several others under the stringent law in the case. According to the prosecution, the violence had erupted following protests against the CAA and NRC. Khalidwas charge-sheeted in the case, along with other accused persons.
'DNA Tests Not Routine': Allahabad HC Dismisses Accuseds Plea In Rape-POCSO Case
The bench of Justice Rajeev Misra upheld the decision of a trial court, stating that ordering a DNA test of the prosecutrix and her child has serious social consequences.
School assembly headlines 11 September 2025: Here are the top news. Allahabad High Court granted bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. Forty regional parties declared their combined income. An all-women Indian Armed Forces team will circumnavigate the globe. Polish airspace was violated by Russian drones. Iraqi PM and US President announced the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov. PV Sindhu exited the Hong Kong Open.
Allahabad HC Grants Bail To SP Leader Azam Khan In Rampur Eviction Case
Court suspends 10-year sentence awarded by MP-MLA court; co-accused Barkat Ali also appeals conviction
Allahabad HC grants bail to SP leader Azam Khan in Dungarpur 'forced eviction' case
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. This is regarding a case about the alleged forceful eviction of residents from Rampur's Dungarpur colony. Khan had appealed against his conviction and 10-year sentence. The case was initially filed in 2019, alleging assault and demolition of property.
Allahabad HC Orders Lucknow CP to Probe Land Grabbing Allegations Against Cops
The court has also asked the Commissioner to investigate the deed made in favour of the wife of a policeman
Noida Police Arrest Three In Forced Conversion, Marriage Case
The case surfaced after the womans mother moved the Allahabad High Court seeking her daughters recovery.
RAIPUR: Agnesia, 64, wife of a paramilitary jawan, Najariyus Toppo, spared no effort running from pillar to post, from lodging a missing person complaint in a police station to engaging in a legal battle until the court finally declared her husband's death as civil death. Agnesia, a resident of Pidi, in the suburbs of Jashpur district, about 350 km from Raipur, in 1998, received a message from her husband, a CRPF Hawaldar posted in Jammu & Kashmir, conveying that he was availing an official leave and would meet her soon. He then reportedly left for Jashpur but didn't reach home. He was nowhere to be found, later. On a missing person complaint filed by his wife, the local police contacted the CRPF battalion unit in J&K and carried out searches through different sources, but couldn't get any clue about him. The CRPF, after initial scouting around andwaitingseven years for Najariyus, assumed him to be no longer alive and gave the pension benefit to his wife, said Satya Prakash Tiwari, counsel of Agnesia. But she continued to live without any proof that her husband had died. The wife consequently also lost the right to the properties owned by Najariyus, whose relatives planned to deprive her. She presented her application to the Jashpur collector seeking an official certificate but the district magistrate rejected her plea, citing that it is beyond his jurisdiction to declare anyone as civil dead. She didn't have any children. In 2012, she approached the tehsil court with another plea to transfer the ownership of her husbands properties on her name, but didn't get any outcome owing to the lack of a death certificate. She then again approached the Jashpur collector in 2022-23 seeking to inherit the late husbands properties and transfer it to the surviving spouse but was again denied owing to missing legal proof. Agnes moved to the court of Civil Judge Class-1, which declared her as the legal heir of Najariyus Toppo but didn't declare him as dead. Her counsel later filed the case before the Jashpur district and sessions court. District judge Satyendra Kumar Sahu, after considering the circumstances, the earlier judgements given by high courts of Kolkata and Allahabad accepted the presumption of death of the person in the light of the provisions of the Indian Evidence Act. The judge stated that if no decision is taken on declaring the husband's death as civil death then her life will turn woeful at this age, said advocate Tiwari. The judgment finally gave the much-needed relief to the aggrieved woman after 27 years of struggle.
Punishment Before Conviction? Allahabad Man Kept In Jail For 4 Years Without A Charge, What HC Said
Parvez Alam was arrested in June 2021 in connection with a case registered under Sections 498A and 304B of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act
LUCKNOW: Around 18 days after the suspension of his conviction by the Allahabad High Court in a 2022 hate speech case, Mau Sadar MLA, Abbas Ansaris membership was restored in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Monday. Abbas had contested the 2022 Assembly polls from the Mau Sadar seat on the symbol of OP Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which was then in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. A senior official confirmed the restoration of Abbas Ansaris membership in the state Assembly. He is the son of late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died while undergoing treatment at Ranu Durgawati Medical College in Tindwara during his incarceration in Banda jail in 2024. Principal secretary, Vidhan Sabha, Pradeep Dubey, in an order issued on Monday evening, said Abbas' membership was deemed restored as the High Court had suspended his conviction. The order said the cancellation of his membership stood ineffective under Article 191 of the Constitution, read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People's act, 1951. Abbas was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment in May this year, in a three-year-old hate speech case, leading to his disqualification from the membership of the House. A special Mau court had held Abbas Ansari, 33, guilty under Section 153-A (promoting enmity between groups), Section 189 (threat to public servant), Section 506 (criminal intimidation) and 171F (undue influence during elections) of the Indian Penal Code. He was also fined Rs 2,000. UP's disqualified MLA Abbas Ansari gets reprieve from Allahabad HC in hate speech case His election agent, Mansopor Ansari, who was also present on the stage during the speech, was also sentenced to six months' jail. Abbas then moved the appellate court, which dismissed his challenge on July 5. He subsequently approached the Allahabad high court, which quashed the conviction. The controversy arose after Abbas delivered a speech during the 2022 assembly election campaign, allegedly warning the government officials of the consequences if the Samajwadi Party came to office. I have told SP chief Akhilesh Yadav that after the SP government formation, no transfer or posting of bureaucrats will be done for six months. First, there will be a `hisab-kitab (scores will be settled), only then will transfer orders be released, he had said, and the video of his speech had gone viral on social media. Following the restoration of Ansaris membership, the strength of SBSP will increase to six again. Abbas is again the lone Muslim MLA in the BJP-led NDA camp in UP. SBSP chief OP Rajbhar is a minister in the Yogi cabinet. On August 20, the High Court suspended the conviction of Ansari, saying refusal to stay his conviction amounts to injustice not only to him but also to the electorate which elected him.
ED summons BJP man who alleges in court Rahul is a UK citizen
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an inquiry into Rahul Gandhi's alleged UK citizenship, based on a petition pending in the Allahabad High Court. The agency has summoned BJP member Vignesh Shishir, the petitioner, seeking details about Gandhi's alleged UK citizenship, associated companies, and foreign accounts.
ED to question BJP worker who petitioned in Allahabad HC against Rahul Gandhi over his citizenship
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has issued a summons to a Karnataka BJP worker, who had petitioned in the Allahabad High Court claiming that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a British citizen, sources in the agency said on Saturday. According to the sources, the man, identified as S Vignesh Shishir, has been asked to depose before the agency on September 9 and he has been asked to appear with all the evidence and documents that he has on the case as per the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). A probe into these allegations is underway, they added. Under FEMA, the ED probes complaints related to foreign exchange law violations by individuals and companies. In a PIL filed before the Allahabad High Court, Shishir had claimed that he has documents and some emails of the British government, which prove Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is a British citizen and due to that he is ineligible to contest elections in India. According to reports, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on August 30 had ordered round-the-clock security for Shishir to be provided by the Union government. Allahabad High Court reopens Rahul Gandhis citizenship case after new evidence A bench of Justices Sangeeta Chandra and B R Singh passed the order on a writ petition filed in this regard by the BJP worker. In its interim order, the bench had reportedly observed, We are prima facie satisfied that the matter required consideration as the petitioner has been pursuing his cases against a very powerful individual and is facing constant threats and has to appear before the investigating officer at police station Kotwali, Raebareli district, in pursuance of notice issued to him. Shishir had submitted to the HC that on his complaint, moved in June 2024, a probe was underway by the CBI and he claimed that he had appeared before the agency in Delhi on multiple occasions, furnishing evidence of Gandhis alleged British citizenship. Reportedly, the matter has been posted for October 9 by the HC. During a hearing in this case sometime back, the central government had informed the court that the government of India had written to the UK Government seeking details about Gandhi's British citizenship.
Allahabad High Court gets two new judges
With the new appointments, the Allahabad High Court will now have 86 judges against a sanctioned strength of 160.
LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court issued directives to the top police officials to produce Mahmood Ahmad Beg, 65, before the court, who has been allegedly in illegal custody. Mahmood Ahmad Beg's wife said that he has been in illegal custody since August 20 and was subjected to custodial torture in connection with an alleged illegal conversion racket. The top officials, including the Additional Director General of Police, I-G of police, and the senior Superintendent of Bareilly, have been directed by the High Court. A division bench, comprising Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Zafeer Ahmed, passed the order in response to the Habeas Corpus plea filed by the victim's wife, Parveen Akhtar. Moreover, Mahmood Ahmad Beg's wife also claimed in the plea that the cops belonging to the Special Operation Group (SOG) were demanding illegal gratification of Rs 1 lakh for her husband's release. Keeping the allegations and the significance of the petition in mind, the court directed the top cops of the district to produce the man in the court on September 8, 2025. Moreover, the court also summoned SSP, Bareilly, to be present in person on the next date of hearing. As per the plea of the victim's wife, 11 persons had thronged the petitioner's residence in three jeeps and forcibly took her husband away at around 11:15 pm on August 20. On protesting the action, the couple's son was threatened by a cop who held a revolver at his chest, threatening to shoot him if he spoke further, claimed the petitioner. The petitioner also mentioned in the plea that her husband, Mahmood Beg, had been suffering from multiple medical conditions and that he was illegally detained by the police since then. The plea also mentioned that Beg had no criminal antecedents and was being kept in illegal custody in gross violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi-starrer Jolly LLB 3 will clash at the box office with Anurag Kashyap's crime drama Nishaanchi, that marks the acting debut of Bal Thackeray's grandson Aaishvary Thackeray.
Allahabad HC stays fresh MBBS counselling, orders SC students be adjusted in vacant seats
The Allahabad High Court directed the government to adjust SC MBBS students admitted under a contentious 70% quota in specific medical colleges against vacant seats elsewhere. The court stayed a previous order for fresh counselling, acknowledging potential chaos. The state government must submit an affidavit confirming adherence to the statutory 21% SC quota from the next academic session.
