Is There Any Protocol For State Officials To Have “Honourable” As Prefix To Their Names: Allahabad HC Directs State To File Affidavit
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, State of Uttar Pradesh, to file an affidavit about whether there is any protocol for the officials of the State to have “Honourable” prefixed to their designations/names.
The Bench of Justice J.J. Munir held, “This Court is well aware that the word "Honourable" is to be certainly prefixed in the case of Hon'ble Ministers and other sovereign functionaries, but we are not aware if the same holds good for Secretaries serving the State Government.”
Advocate Ansar Haider Rizvi appeared for the Petitioner, and Standing Counsel appeared for the Respondents.
The Court said that in the official correspondences, there was a regular reference to different ranks of officials of the State with the word “Honourable” appended to their name. In the present case, the Divisional Commissioner of Kanpur was referred by the Collector, Etawah, as “Honourable Commissioner”.
The Court directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, to file an affidavit of whether there is any protocol for the officials of the State who are entitled to the prefix or have the word “Honourable” prefixed along with their designations or names.
The Court also registry to communicate the order to the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue Secretariat, U.P., Lucknow, through the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lucknow and the Collector, Etawah, through the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Etawah.
Accordingly, the Court adjourned the matter to October 1, 2024.
Cause Title: Krishn Gopal Rathore v. State of U.P. and Ors.
Appearances:
Petitioner: Advocates Ansar Haider Rizvi and Zafar Abbas
Respondents: Standing Counsel
