State

Lucknow: The Lucknow Bench of the High Court has issued a stern directive to the Uttar Pradesh government, emphasizing that government orders alone are insufficient to curb the sale and use of hazardous Chinese-manufactured kite strings (manjha). The court has called for the creation of a specific law to regulate these strings, warning that continued negligence may compel authorities to pay compensation to victims. Court Observations Hearing a public interest petition filed by local advocate Motilal Yadav, a bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice A.K. Chaudhary highlighted the urgent need for strict regulations on the manufacture, sale, and use of lead-coated and nylon manjha. The bench noted that government orders have largely failed in effective implementation and that a pe...

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has emphasized that maintenance (alimony) should neither burden the husband excessively nor leave the wife and children in hardship. In a recent judgment, the court reduced a monthly maintenance order from ₹16,000 to ₹8,000. Case Details The order came on a criminal revision petition filed by the husband, Anil Kumar, challenging a previous ruling by the Family Court in Fatehpur. The Family Court, on 22 April 2025, had ordered Kumar to pay ₹10,000 per month to his wife and ₹6,000 to his son under Section 125 of the CrPC, based on an estimated income of ₹32,000 per month. Kumar’s lawyer argued that the maintenance of ₹16,000 represented nearly 50% of his income, an unreasonably high burden. Justice Madan Pal Singh, hearing the case, noted that gen...

Ghaziabad: The administration in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has taken a strict stance on the city’s deteriorating roads. Following the identification of 83 damaged and pothole-filled locations, District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandad has issued a 30-day deadline to concerned departments to complete all necessary repairs. He warned that any accidents resulting from neglected roads will be the direct responsibility of the respective department. During a meeting with officials on Wednesday, the DM emphasized that negligence in repair work will not be tolerated. Officers were instructed to personally inspect sites to ensure high-quality repairs and safe, smooth travel for the public. Allocation of Responsibilities The administration has distributed responsibilities across various dep...

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana has directed strict disciplinary action against officials who fail to respond to legislators’ calls or disregard their complaints. The move comes after repeated concerns raised by Assembly members about unresponsive officials. On Wednesday, the Speaker took a firm stance, instructing that such officials be held accountable to ensure such behavior does not recur. He emphasized that the disciplinary measures should be exemplary, serving as a deterrent. Mahana also directed that clear orders be issued from the government, and existing instructions be strictly enforced. While addressing the House, Speaker Mahana highlighted the distinct responsibilities and limits of the executive, judiciary, and legislature. He stressed that any encr...