Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh appeared before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday, following a summons related to the long-pending issue of regularisation of court masters in various district courts of the state. The bench, led by Justice Karunesh Singh Pawar, is hearing a petition highlighting the non-implementation of a Supreme Court order dating back to 1989, which mandated the regularisation of these positions.
During the session, the Chief Secretary provided assurances that the draft rules for regularisation, which had been revised by the High Court, were forwarded to the state cabinet with amendments for approval. He stated that the cabinet’s approval would be sought within the next three weeks.
Justice Pawar clarified to the Chief Secretary that no amendments should be made to the draft rules without the High Court’s consent. “If it is necessary, the government would first obtain the consent of the High Court,” he stated, setting a clear directive to ensure compliance with judicial guidelines.
The issue came to the forefront after petitioner Rashmi Singh brought attention to the Supreme Court’s unimplemented order from 1989 regarding the regularisation of court masters. The delay has caused significant concern among the affected parties and prompted the High Court to take a firm stance on the matter.
The court expressed its displeasure over the prolonged delay in the last hearing, leading to the decision to summon the Chief Secretary directly to address the court on the state’s actions and commitments moving forward.
With the next hearing scheduled for April 15, the High Court is maintaining close oversight to ensure that the state government adheres to its timelines and commitments, aiming to resolve a matter that has been pending for decades.
