HC serves contempt notice to Union Home Secretary

Lucknow, March 20 (IANS) The Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued contempt notice to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and state Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar over non-compliance of its order directing them to decide over IPS Officer Amitabh Thakur’s representation for being called "casteless" in official records.

In his petition filed in 2012, Thakur had said that since he considers caste system a dividing factor in the Indian society and is in favour of a casteless society, he wants to be called casteless in official records.

The High Court had directed the union and state governments to decide the matter in two months. But, no action has been taken to date.

The bench of Justice Mahendra Dayal has now issued notice for non-compliance of the court order and sought reply in three weeks.