Application in SC against UP govt decision to shift Lucknow

An application will be filed tomorrow in the Supreme Court seeking modification of the order of the apex court permitting Mayawati government to shift inmates from the old jail in Lucknow to a new one.

An advocate, Sangam Lal Pandey has already served a copy of his application to the respondent which includes Uttar Pradesh government. According to Mr Pandey, the old jail is a monument of National heritage because 1,219 freedom fighters had served term in there during freedom movement. The prisoners included the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Ashfaq Ullah Khan. Nehruji had spent two months and 14 days in this jail.

The petitioner has also contended that recently a new jail ward for prisoners have been constructed in this jail and quarters for jail staff have also been constructed at a huge cost to the state exchequer.

Mr Pandey was the petitioner in Allahabad High Court on whose petition the Court had directed the parties to maintain status quo.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan had permitted the State government to shift from 195 acre old jail to new jail following an assurance by the State government that no statue shall be installed in the proposed ecological park to be created in the old jail premises.