LI Network
Published on: February 3, 2024 at 12:25 IST
The Allahabad High Court has taken a serious stance on the drafting of counter affidavits by stenographers rather than law officers in the offices of Chief Standing Counsel, Additional Chief Standing Counsel, and Standing Counsels.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, presiding over a case concerning the cancellation of a firearm license due to a pending criminal case against the petitioner, expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of a response to the petitioner’s claim of acquittal in the criminal case, as supported by a copy of the trial court’s order attached to the writ petition.
The Court voiced its concern, stating that it appeared that the counter affidavits were not being prepared by the designated legal officers as mandated but rather by stenographers based on information received from the relevant state departments.
In response to this, the Court has summoned UP’s Principal Law Secretary to personally provide a report detailing the actions taken regarding the drafting of counter affidavits by stenographers and to inform the Court of measures implemented to address this issue.