The Allahabad High Court Lucknow Bench expressed its serious displeasure and directed the principal secretary of the Women and Child Development Department to file counter affidavit within three weeks on the death of four infant girls in the Government Children Protection Home.

The Bench of Justice D.K Upadhyay and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi said that “The facts pleaded in this case are very serious and prima-facie, depict unpardonable callousness on the part of the State authorities as they appear to have utterly failed in discharge of their duty which has resulted in death of four young girl children.”

Advocate Santosh Srivastava appeared for the petitioner and C.S.C appeared for the respondent.

In this case, Public Interest Litigation was moved by the petitioner based on a newspaper report on the death of four infant girls aged between 1.5 months to 5 months in the Government Children Protection Home at Prag Narayan Road in Lucknow.

The Court was apprised of the fact that the superintendent of the children’s home was suspended after the death of four infants and Magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the deaths.

“While filing counter affidavit, respondents shall clearly indicate the steps which are envisaged to be taken at their end to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future in the Children Protection Homes throughout the State of U.P.” said the Court.

The Court further directed the counsel for the petitioner to file rejoinder affidavit within one week of filing the counter affidavit.

Accordingly, the matter was to be listed for further hearing on expiry of four weeks.

Cause Title- Shiva Nath Mishra v. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Women And Child Development And 4 Others

Click here to read/download the Order


Allahabad High CourtJustice DK UpadhyayJustice Subhash Vidyarthi

Sanjoli N Srivastava