Allahabad HC pulls up UP government panel over monkey menace.

The Allahabad High Court has directed a 13-member Uttar Pradesh government committee constituted to tackle the monkey menace to meet every week, record minutes and take a concrete decision before the next hearing, warning that the two Principal Secretaries heading the panel will have to appear personally if it fails to comply.

Court, which has been monitoring the issue for nearly 15 months, said the committee appeared to have been formed merely to obtain an adjournment and that the State government had shown a general disregard for its directions.

Why did the High Court question the committee’s functioning?

The bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra said it had already apprehended that the committee might not function seriously. On July 16, when the PIL came up before it, court had directed that the committee hold meetings at regular intervals and place its progress and meeting minutes on record.

The 13-member committee had been constituted on July 15 to examine an action plan proposed by the petitioners and suggest ways to address the monkey menace. The Urban Local Bodies were also taking steps, including asking the Wildlife Institute of India to prepare a long-term mitigation report and a short-term strategy.

But when the matter was taken up on September 1, the government’s instructions made no reference to the July 16 order.

What did the court find about the committee meeting?

The State told the court that the committee had met on August 21 and needed another four weeks to make progress. However, the only document produced was an attendance sheet.

Court noted that both Principal Secretaries who were the committee’s Joint Chairpersons had not attended the meeting. No minutes had been prepared either.

“Apparently, nothing happened at the meeting except for signing the attendance sheet,” court observed.

It went on to say that the formation of the committee itself had “turned out to be an eye wash only”, apparently with a view to seeking an adjournment in the case while continuing to do nothing.

Court said such conduct by the committee members, as well as the State’s “general attitude” towards its directions, “cannot be countenanced”.

Court's directions

Court directed the committee members to meet every week, prepare minutes of each meeting and take a concrete decision before October 12, when the PIL will next be heard.

The decision and the minutes are to be placed before the court.

Court also made the two Joint Chairpersons personally accountable for compliance. If the committee members fail to hold the meetings as directed, the Principal Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Principal Secretary, Urban Development, will have to remain personally present before the court on October 12.

Court said officers and members of the committee were “not at all serious” about the issue, despite it being a “constant human problem” faced by residents and the general public over the period during which the court has been dealing with the matter.

The PIL was accordingly directed to be listed afresh on October 12, 2026.

Case Title: Vineet Sharma and another v. State of Uttar Pradesh and 11 others

Bench: Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra

Order Date: September 1, 2026

Tags: