Allahabad (PTI): The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday warned Uttar Pradesh government that it will face contempt proceedings if it did not reinstate by May 27 nearly 18,000 police personnel sacked by the Mayawati regime for alleged irregularities in recruitment.

Holding that non-compliance with the order was prima facie tantamount to contempt of court, Justice Vikram Nath directed the Principal Secretary (Home), the Director General of Police and other top officials to appear before the court on May 27.

The order was passed on a petition filed by Pawan Kumar Singh and others who claimed that the state government was neither allowing them to resume duty nor has it taken any step for the screening of the dismissed police personnel despite the High Court ruling in this regard.