The Allahabad High Court today stayed the Uttar Pradesh government's order to withdraw cases against persons accused of indulging in terror activities.

The order was passed by Justices Rajeev Sharma and Mahendra Dayal of the Lucknow bench on a PIL filed by local lawyer and five others.

While referring the matter to a larger bench, the court gave six weeks time to the respondents, including the central and the state governments, for filing their replies and four weeks for rejoinder thereafter.

The petitioners had sought direction for quashing the order issued by the state for withdrawing cases against persons accused of indulging in terror activities and serial blasts.

The court directed that the order for withdrawing the cases against the alleged terror accused shall be kept in abeyance.