UP Bans Caste-Based Rallies, 'Politically Motivated' Events After Court Order

Social media content promoting caste pride or hatred will now be under strict surveillance. (File Photo)

Lucknow:

The Uttar Pradesh administration has issued directives for the immediate elimination of all caste references from police documentation and public notices, while also mandating that vehicles displaying caste-related stickers or slogans be penalized under the Motor Vehicles Act.

The directive, distributed to all police units and district administrations on Sunday evening, was implemented in adherence to a September 16 Allahabad High Court ruling aimed at eradicating caste-based discrimination, according to a senior official.

Acting chief secretary Deepak Kumar has directed that the caste identities of accused individuals should no longer be documented in police registers, case memos, arrest documents, or exhibited on police station notice boards, as stated in the official order.

"The instruction has been issued in compliance with the HC order and takes immediate effect," Kumar informed PTI.

The state's Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) portal will also undergo updates to remove caste fields, and until this process is completed, officials have been instructed to leave such fields empty, according to the order.

It further requires that police records include both paternal and maternal names of accused individuals, and that vehicles bearing caste-based stickers or slogans be issued citations under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Authorities have also been instructed to dismantle boards or signs in towns and villages that celebrate caste identities or designate areas as belonging to specific castes, as per the government order.

Caste-based rallies and public gatherings with political motivations have been prohibited throughout the state, while social media content promoting caste pride or animosity will be closely monitored. Stringent action has been mandated against those spreading caste-based hostility online, the order stated.

The government has instructed officials to ensure "immediate and effective compliance" with the directive and to train subordinate officers to increase awareness about the new policy.

The high court's ruling in Praveen Chetri vs State of UP and others prohibited police from mentioning the caste of accused persons and directed the state to prevent caste glorification in public and digital spaces.