Uttar Pradesh chief secretary apologises to apex court

LUCKNOW - Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Atul Gupta Tuesday tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for allegedly violating its specific orders not to go ahead with the construction of memorials and statues of Dalit icons, including that of Chief Minister Mayawati, in Lucknow.

Admitting that construction work worth Rs.2,600 crore was undertaken at different “dream projects” of the chief minister in Lucknow, Gupta - in his 51-page affidavit - said that he had no intention of defying the court’s orders.

Stressing his “highest regard” for the orders passed by the apex court, he contended he had acted in compliance of its orders, but tendered his “sincere and unqualified apology for any kind of disobedience or deviation, aberration or misconstruction, if any, which might have happened,” and said it was “inadvertent” .

The court had Oct 6 served a contempt notice on the state chief secretary for allegedly violating the undertaking given by the state government to suspend all construction work at various project sites.

The undertakings were given before the court on Sep 8 and 11 by Mayawati’s close confidante and party general secretary Satish Chandra Misra, who was representing the state government in his capacity as a senior counsel.

Misra was stated to have told the court that the undertaking, given orally by him before the judges, was conveyed to the chief secretary, following which the contempt notice was slapped on the latter.