The Uttar Pradesh government has tendered a “sincere and unqualified apology” to the Supreme Court over violation of court orders stopping construction work at memorial

sites across the state. The court is scheduled to hear petitions challenging the Mayawati government’s construction of memorials on Wednesday.

Responding to a contempt notice issued against him, UP Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta submitted a 51-page affidavit last week, conceding prime facie violation of court orders.

While initiating contempt action against the Chief Secretary on October 6, the Supreme Court had pulled up the UP administration, saying it seemed “desperate” to continue the ambitious projects, pushed by the Chief Minister herself. Issuing Gupta a notice, the bench said: “It appears you want to play hide and seek. If you want confrontation, let’s have a confrontation.” It directed Gupta to appear in court on November 4.

The case will come up on Wednesday before the bench of Justices H S Bedi and J M Panchal. Reconstituted after Justice B N Agarwal retired on October 15, the new bench does

not include Justice Aftab Alam who was part of the earlier bench.