Politics · India Bureau
High Court censures UP authorities for misusing anti-goonda law
The Allahabad High Court has expressed concern that Uttar Pradesh authorities are weaponising the Goonda Act as an instrument of harassment. The court quashed an order that had declared a man a criminal and exiled him from his district.
LSN India ·
In a significant rebuke to state authorities, the Allahabad High Court has questioned whether the Uttar Pradesh government is deliberately misusing the Goonda Act to harass citizens. The court's observations came while striking down an order passed by the Gonda district magistrate that had branded a resident named Zahid Ali as a "goonda" and ordered his external removal from the district for six months.
The bench's decision highlights growing judicial concerns about the application of provisions meant to curb habitual offenders. By quashing the magistrate's order, the court signalled that mere declaration of "goonda" status and subsequent exile cannot be imposed without rigorous adherence to procedural safeguards and substantive evidence.
The Goonda Act, formally known as the Prevention of Goondaism Act, grants district magistrates broad powers to detain individuals deemed threats to public order and can result in external removal from districts. While designed to combat organised crime, civil rights activists have long flagged concerns about its use against marginalised communities and political opponents.
The High Court's intervention reflects a broader pattern of judicial scrutiny over executive overreach in criminal administration across northern India. The ruling underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring that extraordinary powers vested in administrative authorities remain subject to constitutional constraints and fair procedures.