LUCKNOW, June 13 -- The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday directed the divisional commissioner, Lucknow and the counsel for the Union of India to file an affidavit (reply) by June 18 in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging the proposed auction for the demolition of the main building of the family court in the state capital. The affidavit has been sought with regard to the process adopted for issuance of licence/no objection certificate in terms of Section 20-C of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The divisional commissioner appeared before the court on Thursday in consonance with its June 11 order. Thursday's order was passed by a vacation division bench of Justice Saurabh Lavania and Justice Syed Qamar Hasan Rizvi on the PIL filed by social activist Gautam Bharati. The court permitted the petitioner's counsel to implead the National Monument Authority through its member secretary as opposite party No.12 in the array of parties in the plea. "In compliance of this court's order dated 11.06.2025, the Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow is present before this court. She is directed to file an affidavit with regard to the process adopted for issuance of licence/no objection certificate in terms of Section 20-C of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 by 18th June, 2025, as it has been indicated before this Court by learned counsel for the High Court Shri Vijay Dixit that the Heritage Impact Assessment Report has been uploaded by the concerned agency today itself and the Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow, being the competent authority has indicated that the entire material would be forwarded to the newly impleaded opposite No.12 and upon receipt of the response, appropriate order or Licence/No Objection Certificate would be issued," the court said. The petitioner has sought directives for quashing of the auction for demolition of the main building of the family court. He has also requested to direct the respondents - the state authorities - to declare the main building of the family court, the Nazarat building, the administrative building, the copying department, the record room building, all residences of class four employees, all four court rooms with chamber and balcony and 37 chambers of advocates as a monument of national importance under Section 4 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and give it the status of a "protected monument". On behalf of the state government, chief standing counsel (CSC) Shailendra Kumar Singh and the counsel for central government and the high court administration were present. The court directed to list this matter on June 18 for further hearing....