SC Decide seeks switch of Rajasthan HC Performing Chief Justice, asks why CJI has ‘ignored’ appeals regardless of clear proof of favouritism

Three letters from Supreme Courtroom Decide Justice Sandeep Mehta to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant in August questioned why his “fervent appeals” to switch Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom Performing Chief Justice (ACJ) Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, regardless of “clear proof” of favouritism, have been “ignored”.

In his first letter on August 2, Justice Mehta wrote to the CJI in regards to the “grim and disturbing situation” in his father or mother Excessive Courtroom in Rajasthan.

Justice Mehta, on this letter, mentioned the Performing Chief Justice —who is because of retire on September 26— has exhibited complete lack of management qualities and exhibited conduct unbecoming of a frontrunner of the establishment on a couple of event.

The Supreme Courtroom Decide reminded the CJI that he had been making “fervent appeals” for appointment of an everyday Chief Justice to the Excessive Courtroom because the starting of the 12 months 2026. “Nevertheless, until date, the request to have a Chief Justice from one other State in my father or mother Excessive Courtroom has met with no optimistic response,” Justice Mehta wrote.

He mentioned there was maladministration and malpractices each on the judicial and administrative aspect of the Excessive Courtroom underneath Justice Sharma.

The Supreme Courtroom choose mentioned instances had been all of a sudden withdrawn and shifted to the Bench of the Performing Chief Justice (ACJ) with none justifiable trigger. Justice Mehta mentioned he was initially requested by the CJI to offer an inventory of those instances in writing, however was instantly thereafter assured that there was no want to put something in writing, and appropriate motion can be taken. The subsequent letter on August 10 informs that the CJI had requested Justice Sharma to answer the shifting of instances, however no particular info was obtainable on the reply or information of those instances.

The apex court docket Decide’s letters additional mentioned judicial officers had been referred to as and humiliated to fulfill the “private vendetta” of the ACJ. A full court docket assembly was held to designate a “giant variety of favoured advocates as seniors”, that too, on a working day. Justice Mehta mentioned a fantastic plan for a multi-storied tower with virtually 100 rooms was made to perform as a visitor home for the Excessive Courtroom. He referred to as this a “sheer waste of public cash”.

Justice Mehta mentioned he has been receiving complaints from anguished judges of the Excessive Courtroom who mentioned they had been “steadily threatened” with retributive motion, together with switch, by the ACJ, who claimed “closeness” with the CJI.

Justice Mehta mentioned the CJI’s Bench had lately noticed the rising pattern of judges passing orders for extraneous concerns within the autumn days of their profession. He termed this as makes an attempt to “hit sixes” earlier than retirement.

“It’s certainly ironical that on one hand, the Chief Justice of India is flagging corrupt practices by judges within the eve [evening] of their careers, and right here we now have an ACJ indulging in these very actions with impunity,”one of many letters mentioned.

In his final letter on August 17, Justice Mehta makes use of phrases like “rampant nepotism and favouritism” towards the ACJ.

He mentioned it was “past comprehension” why “such a protracted rope” was given to a choose whose request for repatriation to the Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom was not accepted by the Supreme Courtroom Collegium in March 2023.

Justice Sharma, who served within the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom, was lastly really helpful for repatriation to Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom in a Supreme Courtroom Collegium assembly on Could 26, 2025. Justice Sharma was appointed Performing Chief Justice of Rajasthan in September final 12 months. He has been holding the submit for over 10 months now.

“I’ve been repeatedly requesting you to take a call for appointing a Chief Justice from one other State to the Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom in order that this unlucky state of affairs might be prevented. Continued ignorance of the request, in my view, is wholly towards the curiosity of the establishment,” Justice Mehta wrote to the CJI.

At one level, the apex court docket choose mulls whether or not placing his letter within the public area might set off an “influx of data”.