ORDER :

1. Heard Shri Arvind Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.28220 of 2022, Shri Rahul Mishra, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.28071 of 2022, Shri Rakesh Kumar Dubey, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.32690 of 2022, Shri Rakesh Kumar Pandey, learned Senior Advocate assisted by Shri Santosh Kumar Singh holding brief of Parmeshwar Kr. Chaudhary, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.34443 of 2022, Shri Utkarsh Srivastava, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No. 34611 of 2022, Shri Shitla Prasad Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.36083 of 2022, Shri Shravan Kumar Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No.37521 of 2022, Shri Ramesh Kumar Kushwaha, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ-C No. 34540 of 2022 and Shri Manish Goyal, learned Additional Advocate General assisted by Shri Ankur Tandon, learned counsel for the State-respondents.

2. Grievance of the petitioners are either:-

(a) against the rejection of application for character certificate; or

(b) suspension or cancellation of their character certificates; or

(c) non-providing of any modalities for issuance of character certificate; or

(d) non-providing of any forum to challenge the orders passed by the District Magistrate adversely disposing of a character certificate application.

3. Since the controversy involved in the present writ petitions is mainly on the above noted points and the State has filed personal affidavit of respondent no.1 providing for a forum and the learned Additional Advocate General has stated that modalities for grant or refusal to grant character certificate are under preparation, therefore, with the consent of learned counsel for the parties, all these writ petitions are being finally heard.

4. In paragraph nos. 3 and 4 of his personal affidavit dated 20.02.2023 Shri Sanjay Prasad, Principal Secretary, Department of Home, Government of U.P., Lucknow filed on behalf of respondent no.1, has stated, as under:

“3. That in this regard, it is submitted here that after due consideration with regard to the guidelines for character certificate, a Government Order dated 02.02.2023 had been issued by the Government of U.P., in which it is stated that in context of Government Order dated 02.11.2006, 12.12.2007 and 20.05.2013, in case any application for new character certificate is rejected by the concerned District Magistrate/Collector, such information along with reasons would be served upon the applicant and the applicant may within one month approach the concerned Divisional Commissioner by way of representation, upon which the concerned Divisional Commissioner would pass a reasoned order, after affording opportunity of hearing to both the sides and the same would be communicated to the concerned District Magistrate/Collector who would act accordingly. A true Photostat copy of Government Order dated 02.02.2023 is being annexed herewith and marked as Annexure No. PA-1 to this affidavit.

4. That further it is also provided that with regard to character certificates already issued, if the same would be cancelled by any District Magistrate/Collector, then the concerned person would be served with the information of cancellation of his character certificate and within one month he may file his representation before the concerned Divisional Commissioner and after giving opportunity to both the sides and the same would be communicated to the concerned District Magistrate/Collector who would act accordingly.”

5. Learned counsel for the petitioners jointly submit that although a forum has now been provided by the State Government vide G.O. No.47/6- i0q-14-23-50(07)/2006 dated 02.02.2023 and yet modalities have not been finalized by the State Government for issuance or rejection of a character certificate application or for cancellation of a character certificate. Learned counsel for the petitioners have also drawn our attention to the law laid down by learned S