Allahabad High Court Questions Use of "Honourable" for State Officials in Official Correspondence

Read Time: 03 minutes

Synopsis

Court asked the Principal Secretary of the Department of Revenue, UP to apprise it if there is any protocol that entitles officials of the State to have the word "Honourable" prefixed along with their designations or names

The Allahabad High Court recently raised concerns over the use of the title "Honourable" in official communications to address state officers.

The issue came up during the hearing of a petition filed by one Krishn Gopal Rathore, where the Collector of Etawah referred to the Divisional Commissioner of Kanpur as "Honourable Commissioner."

The bench of Justice J.J. Munir questioned whether there is an official protocol governing which state officers are entitled to have "Honourable" prefixed to their names. 

It noted that while "Honourable" is typically used for ministers and sovereign functionaries, its usage for state officials is unclear. 

Court directed the Principal Secretary of the Department of Revenue, Uttar Pradesh, to submit an affidavit clarifying this protocol.

"Let the Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, U.P., Lucknow apprise this Court, on affidavit, if there is any protocol about officials of the State who are entitled to prefix or have the word "Honourable" prefixed along with their designations or names," court ordered.

The case itself revolves around Rathore’s employment as a Seasonal Collection Peon, alleging that his juniors have been retained while he was not. Court sought an affidavit regarding this fact by the Etawah Collector.

Court posted the matter next on October 1, 2024, with instructions for the Registrar (Compliance) to ensure communication of the court's order to the concerned authorities within 24 hours.

Case Title: Krishn Gopal Rathore Vs. State of U.P. and others