Court directs compliance in addressing Members of Parliament and Former Union Ministers with the honorific "Hon'ble"
In a recent judgment, the Allahabad High Court emphasized the importance of adhering to protocol in the use of honorifics for constitutional functionaries, such as Members of Parliament and Former Union Ministers. The Division Bench, comprising Justices J.J. Munir and Tarun Saxena, ruled that the honorific "Hon'ble" must be used when addressing individuals holding sovereign offices in government.
The case, titled "Harshit Sharma v. State of U.P.," revolved around the proper use of honorifics in official communications. The petition was filed by Harshit Sharma and two others, with Pankaj Sharma representing the petitioners and Om Prakash Mishra appearing for the respondents.
The court took cognizance of an affidavit filed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Government of U.P., which detailed the compliance measures undertaken following the court's directives. It was noted that the complaint, which formed the basis of the FIR, was produced verbatim by the first informant, Khajan Singh, who admitted to being unaware of the protocol regarding honorifics.
The judgment underscored that "Hon'ble" is an honorific reserved for those exercising sovereign functions within the government, including Central and State Ministers, Supreme Court and High Court Judges, and Members of Parliament. The court clarified that personal familiarity or grievances do not justify omitting such honorifics.
The court directed the petitioners to file a rejoinder affidavit within a week and scheduled the matter for further proceedings on May 11, 2026. This ruling reiterates the judiciary's commitment to maintaining the decorum and respect due to constitutional offices.
Bottom Line:
Protocol regarding the use of honorifics for constitutional functionaries such as Members of Parliament and Former Union Ministers - "Hon'ble" is to be appended to the names of constitutional functionaries who exercise sovereign functions of any of the three organs of Government.
Statutory provision(s): Writ Petition.
Harshit Sharma v. State of U.P., (Allahabad)(DB) : Law Finder Doc id # 2893427
