When Must ‘Hon’ble’ Be Used? Allahabad High Court Explains Protocol

The Allahabad High Court in Harshit Sharma and 2 Others v State of UP and 2 Others has clarified who is entitled to the honorific ‘Hon’ble’ in India and when it must be used.

The issue arose when the Uttar Pradesh Police failed to prefix ‘Hon’ble’ or even ‘Mr.’ before the name of Anurag Thakur in a First Information Report (FIR). The Court had earlier taken note of this lapse and sought an explanation from the State authorities.

A Division Bench of Justice J J Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena, in its order dated April 30, explained that the honorific ‘Hon’ble’ is not a matter of choice but a matter of protocol. It must be used for constitutional functionaries who exercise sovereign functions of the State.

The Court clearly listed the categories of individuals entitled to this honorific. These include Ministers of the Central and State Governments, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, Speakers and Chairpersons of legislative bodies such as the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Assemblies, as well as Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies.

Importantly, the Court emphasised that this recognition flows from the position held by such individuals in the constitutional framework. It is not dependent on personal relationships or familiarity. Even if someone has a personal grievance or informal connection, it does not justify omitting the honorific while referring to such officials.

At the same time, the Bench clarified that civil servants, regardless of their rank or seniority, are not entitled to the use of ‘Hon’ble’. The distinction lies in the nature of the office—only those performing sovereign constitutional functions fall within its scope.

In this case, the State government informed the Court that the complainant who lodged the FIR was unaware of the protocol governing the use of honorifics. After considering this explanation, the Court decided to close the matter.

However, before doing so, it reiterated an important principle: whenever a person who is entitled to the honorific ‘Hon’ble’ is referred to in any official or formal communication, the prefix must be used consistently.

The Court also specifically noted that Anurag Thakur, being a sitting Member of Parliament, is entitled to be addressed with the honorific ‘Hon’ble’.