Now Reading: CJI says Mehta’s allegations on Rajasthan HC judge will follow institutional process
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CJI says Mehta’s allegations on Rajasthan HC judge will follow institutional process
CJI says Mehta’s allegations on Rajasthan HC judge will follow institutional process
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday that Justice Sandeep Mehta's allegations against Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma will be examined through the established institutional mechanism…
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday that Justice Sandeep Mehta's allegations against Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma will be examined through the established institutional mechanism and cannot be adjudicated in public. The CJI said the Collegium, already working on High Court chief justice appointments, has considered the issues flagged by Justice Mehta but the fact that allegations have been made cannot itself be treated as a finding against the judge.
The statement came after Justice Mehta wrote three letters in August alleging maladministration, favouritism, nepotism and misuse of administrative powers by Justice Sharma. Justice Sharma has been acting chief since September 2025. The CJI said any decision on Justice Sharma's continuation, transfer or other administrative action will be taken by the competent authority after considering both the material from Justice Mehta and Justice Sharma's response.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Justice Mehta's letters are the most serious internal challenge to a High Court chief in recent years. The practice of judges airing grievances against colleagues through the Chief Justice is rare and almost never becomes public. The Collegium now faces a dual problem: addressing the substance without appearing to prejudge, and filling Rajasthan High Court's top post without delay. The acting chief arrangement has run nearly 11 months since Justice Shriram retired in September 2025, which by convention is meant to be a short-term fix. The CJI's statement effectively rules out any airing of the dispute in open court or media, but the collegium must still decide on a permanent appointment and possible transfer of Justice Sharma, who has submitted his response. The next Collegium meeting, which has not yet been announced, will be watched for whether it names a full-time chief for Rajasthan and whether Justice Sharma continues as acting chief in the interim.
Source: indiatoday.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
