The Allahabad High Court recently expressed concerns regarding the use of the title "Honourable" in official communications when addressing state officers.

The issue arose during the hearing of a petition filed by Krishn Gopal Rathore, in which the Collector of Etawah addressed the Divisional Commissioner of Kanpur as "Honourable Commissioner."

Justice J.J. Munir, presiding over the matter, questioned whether any official protocol exists to define which state officers are entitled to have "Honourable" prefixed to their names. The court observed that while the title is typically reserved for ministers and sovereign authorities, its application to other state officials remains ambiguous.

In response, the court directed the Principal Secretary of the Department of Revenue, Uttar Pradesh, to submit an affidavit clarifying the protocol on this matter.

"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 centers on Krishn Gopal Rathore’s employment as a Seasonal Collection Peon, with Rathore alleging that his juniors were retained while he was not. The court has sought an affidavit from the Etawah Collector to address this claim.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 1, 2024, and instructed the Registrar (Compliance) to ensure that the court's order is communicated to the relevant authorities within 24 hours.