The Allahabad High Court expressed its displeasure when it found that the mobile phone of Mangla Prasad Singh, the District Magistrate (DM) of Hardoi, was switched off during working hours. This incident came to light during a court session concerning a delay in the renewal of an explosives license.
Justice Abdul Moin highlighted the issue when the State’s standing counsel, attempting to contact the DM for urgent input on the license renewal delay, reported that the DM’s phone was off and unreachable. This occurred after the counsel was specifically instructed by the court that morning to consult with the DM.
At 2:30 PM, upon learning that all efforts to reach the DM were futile, the court voiced its concerns, stating, “It is indeed unfortunate that the head of the District is operating with his phone switched off. It is unclear why the phone was disabled, raising concerns about how the District Magistrate can be contacted during emergencies.”
The court was handling a petition related to a significant delay—almost eight months—in the renewal of an explosives license, originally submitted in February 2024. Despite multiple follow-ups, there had been no response from the DM’s office regarding the application.
With the DM unreachable, the court ordered him to appear in person the following day to explain his unavailability and the reasons behind the prolonged delay in processing the explosives license renewal.
