SC Judge seeks transfer of Rajasthan HC Acting Chief Justice, asks why CJI has ‘ignored’ appeals despite clear evidence 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 concerning the “grim and disturbing state of affairs” in his mother or father 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 pacesetter of the establishment on multiple event.

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

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

The Supreme Courtroom decide mentioned instances have been immediately withdrawn and shifted to the Bench of the Performing Chief Justice (ACJ) with none justifiable trigger.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 position something in writing, and appropriate motion can be taken. The subsequent letter on August 10 informs that the CJI had requested Justice Sharma to reply to the shifting of instances, however no particular info was obtainable on the reply or details of those instances.

The apex court docket Decide’s letters additional mentioned judicial officers have 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 operate 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 have been “ceaselessly threatened” with retributive motion, together with switch, by the ACJ, who claimed “closeness” with the CJI.

Justice Mehta mentioned the CJI’s Bench had just lately noticed the rising development of judges passing orders for extraneous issues 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’ve 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” in opposition to the ACJ.

He mentioned it was “past comprehension” why “such a protracted rope” was given to a decide 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 useful for repatriation to Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom in a Supreme Courtroom Collegium assembly on Might 26, 2025. Justice Sharma was appointed Performing Chief Justice of Rajasthan in September final 12 months. He has been holding the publish 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 could be prevented. Continued ignorance of the request, in my view, is wholly in opposition to the curiosity of the establishment,” Justice Mehta wrote to the CJI.

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