The Allahabad High Court has asked a senior Uttar Pradesh government official to explain why the word “Hon’ble” was not used before a Union minister’s name in an FIR.

A bench of Justices J.J. Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena was hearing a plea filed by Harshit Sharma and two others, who want an FIR registered against them in Mathura to be cancelled.

In its March 31 order, the Court said that even if the complainant didn’t use the proper title for the minister, the police should have corrected it while writing the FIR. As per protocol, the term “Hon’ble” should have been added.

The Court has now asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to file an affidavit explaining why the minister’s name appeared without the usual respect title, and at one point, even without a simple “Mr.”

The next hearing is on April 6.

The Court has also told its registry to inform the concerned official and the Mathura SSP about this order within 48 hours.