The Allahabad High Court has sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government regarding a petition filed by a student who has yet to receive a ₹51,000 cash prize won in a state-organized painting competition nearly six months ago. The petitioner, Diksha Mishra, approached the court after the Culture Department failed to disburse the award promised for her first-place finish in a district-level event.
The matter pertains to the “Seva Pakhwada-2025” programme, a series of competitions organized by the Culture Department of the Uttar Pradesh government between September 17 and October 2, 2025. As part of this initiative, a district-level painting competition was conducted in Prayagraj on September 29, 2025.
The petitioner, Diksha Mishra, participated in the senior category of the competition. Upon the conclusion of the event, she was declared the first-place winner, an achievement that carried a publicized cash reward of ₹51,000. However, despite the passage of several months, the state authorities failed to credit the prize money to the winner.
Representing the student, the petitioner’s counsel contended before the court that the state’s inaction was unjustified. The counsel highlighted that the prize was officially announced as part of a government-sponsored programme and that the petitioner had rightfully earned the award by securing the top position in the senior category. The plea emphasized that the delay of nearly half a year in releasing the funds prompted the student to seek judicial intervention to secure the prize she had won.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Saral Srivastava and Justice Garima Prashad heard the petition. During the proceedings, the court took note of the petitioner’s grievance regarding the non-payment of the award.
In its order dated April 9, the court directed the additional chief standing counsel, appearing on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, to obtain specific instructions and a reply from the relevant department officials. The court has granted the state time to provide a justification for the delay in payment.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 23, 2026, by which time the state is expected to submit its instructions.
