HC issues bailable warrant against education secretary

Prayagraj: Taking a serious note of non-filing of counter-affidavit (reply) despite court’s order, the Allahabad high court on Thursday issued bailable warrant against secretary (ministry of education), Uttar Pradesh, asking him to appear before the court to explain as to why despite the court’s order, neither the counter-affidavit nor instruction has been given to the state counsel.
Hearing a writ petition filed by one Vijay Kumar, Justice Saral Srivastava directed that the warrant be served through the chief judicial magistrate concerned and a copy of this order be handed over to the CJM for compliance.
Earlier at one stage, while hearing this case relating to teachers’ recruitment matter, the court in its order dated September 30, 2021, had said that despite opportunity, the secretary (ministry of education) has not responded nor a counter-affidavit has been filed in the matter. According to the court, this matter cannot be decided without the affidavit of the state government.
However, on request of the state counsel, the court had granted four weeks’ further time to the respondent to file reply. In this order, the court had also made it clear that no more time will be granted to the respondent to file counter affidavit in the matter.
Today (Thursday), when the case was taken up, the court took a serious note of non-filing of counter-affidavit till date and passed the above order, observing, “Despite the last opportunity granted by this court, neither counter-affidavit has been supplied nor concerned respondent is present before the court. Therefore, in this view of the fact, let a bailable warrant be issued against the respondent concerned.”