New Delhi: The ‘Hon’ble’ title usage in India has been clearly explained by the Allahabad High Court in a recent ruling. The court said that not everyone can be addressed with this title. It is reserved only for specific constitutional authorities. The clarification came after a case where the Uttar Pradesh Police did not use the honorific for a former Union Minister in an FIR, raising questions about protocol and legal practice.
Court Directives on Hon’ble Title
The Allahabad High Court clarified that the term ‘Hon’ble’ must be used only for constitutional functionaries.
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According to the court:
- The title should be used for people who exercise sovereign functions.
- It applies to individuals linked to the three pillars of government — legislature, executive, and judiciary.
The court also said that civil servants, even senior ones, are not entitled to this honorific.
This clarification was given in the case Harshit Sharma and Others vs State of UP.
Who Is Entitled to ‘Hon’ble’?
The court clearly listed categories of people who can use the title:
- Ministers of Central and State Governments
- Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts
- Speaker and Chairman of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- Members of Parliament (MPs)
- Members of State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs)
The bench added that similar constitutional authorities may also be entitled based on protocol rules. Importantly, if someone is entitled to the honorific, they must also be addressed in that way.
Background of Hon’ble Title Case
The issue started when the police filed an FIR in Mathura and did not use ‘Hon’ble’ or even ‘Mr’ before the name of former Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
The High Court called this a possible breach of protocol and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain.
The FIR was related to a fraud case where accused persons allegedly collected money by claiming links with the minister.
Court’s Concern Over Proper Protocol
The High Court stressed that:
- Official documents must follow proper protocol.
- Respectful titles should be used where applicable.
However, the court also highlighted an important legal principle — not everyone in government service automatically gets such titles.
This maintains a clear distinction between constitutional authorities and administrative officials.
