Lucknow (Rajeev Sharma)— The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday imposed a ban on caste-based references in police records and public places, acting on a directive from the Allahabad High Court aimed at curbing caste discrimination.
An order issued by Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar directed that caste will no longer be mentioned in First Information Reports (FIRs), arrest memos, or other police documents. Instead, parental names will be used for identification. Police stations, vehicles, and signboards have also been instructed to remove caste-based slogans, symbols, and references with immediate effect.
The order further prohibited caste-based rallies, with police directed to monitor social media platforms for violations. However, cases filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act remain exempt, as caste identification is legally required. To ensure full compliance, amendments will be made to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and police manuals.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a Janta Darshan in Gorakhpur, where he heard public grievances and extended greetings on the occasion of Shardiya Navratri. He also conveyed wishes on X, saying, “May Mother bless everyone’s life with happiness, health, and prosperity. Jai Mata Ki!”
On September 21, Adityanath announced that the government has engaged 300 intellectuals, including retired bureaucrats and vice-chancellors, to prepare a roadmap for “Developed India–Developed Uttar Pradesh 2047.” These experts will gather citizen inputs from academic institutions to shape long-term development goals.
