Image Courtesy:livelaw.in
The Allahabad High Court came down heavily on the court’s Registry for not complying with its directions to list pleas challenging the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act for October 5.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Piyush Agrawal was hearing a plea filed one Saurabh Kumar challenging the Act when the bench noticed that two other pleas were not listed for hearing as they were scheduled to be heard as per previous orders passed by the court.
The court thus directed that all the pleas be heard as fresh for hearing on October 22 and also stated that default in carrying out the direction above would result in action against the defaulting officer of Registry.
“The default in carrying out the direction above would result in action against the defaulting officer of Registry because despite specific order passed on 13.09.2021, Public Interest Litigation No. 811 of 2021 [Aali (Association For Advocacy And Legal Initiatives) Vs. State of U.P.] so as Public Interest Litigation No. 1061 of 2021 (Shobhana Smriti Vs. State of U.P.) are not listed today,” the court said.
The plea
The plea that came up for hearing on October 5 was filed by Saurabh Kumar seeking stay on the effect and operation of the impugned Act. The plea seeks ad interim mandamus directing the respondents not to take any coercive action in pursuance of the impugned Act in cases of conversion by solemnisation of marriage or relationship in the nature of marriage, reported LiveLaw.
The order may be read here:
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