CJI says SC Collegium examining Justice Mehta’s concerns over Rajasthan HC Acting CJ

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday said that he has taken note of the concerns raised by apex court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta regarding the functioning of the Rajasthan High Court.

The CJI’s remarks came against the backdrop of Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta’s recent letters seeking the appointment of a regular Chief Justice from another High Court to head the Rajasthan High Court and raising allegations against its Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.

In a statement, CJI Kant stressed that allegations against a sitting judge must be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism and cannot be adjudicated in the public domain. The CJI said that the contents of the letters written by Justice Mehta cannot by themselves be treated as findings against Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, who must be given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.

“The fact that allegations have been made, therefore, cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge,” the statement said.

The clarification comes amid three letters written by Justice Mehta on August 2, August 10 and August 17, in which he urged the CJI and the Supreme Court Collegium to appoint a regular Chief Justice from another High Court to head the Rajasthan High Court and sought the transfer of Justice Sharma out of the State.

Justice Mehta had raised allegations of misuse of administrative powers, manipulation of case listings and favouritism towards certain lawyers and parties, besides questioning the exercise of roster and other administrative powers by the Acting Chief Justice.

In his communications, Justice Mehta had also alleged “gross maladministration” and “seriously questionable activities” on the part of Justice Sharma and urged the Supreme Court Collegium to act at the earliest.

Responding to the concerns, CJI Kant said that he and the other members of the apex court Collegium are already working on the appointment of Chief Justices in the remaining High Courts. He said he had “already taken note of the concerns” raised in Justice Mehta’s letters, while making it clear that the allegations would have to be examined through the appropriate institutional process.

“The matter is being examined at the appropriate level, and the process will take into account the material placed by Justice Mehta as well as the response of Justice Sharma,” the CJI said. He added that any decision regarding the continuation, transfer or other administrative action concerning the Acting Chief Justice would be taken by the competent institutional authority only after due consideration of the material before it.

The CJI further emphasised that the concerned judge must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached. “The contents of the letters cannot be adjudicated in the public domain, and the concerned judge must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached,” CJI Kant said.

Justice Mehta, who was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Rajasthan High Court, had in one of his communications said that continued failure to appoint a regular Chief Justice from another State was “wholly against the interest of the Institution”. He had also referred to alleged concerns expressed by several judges of the Rajasthan High Court and alleged that Justice Sharma had threatened fellow judges with retributive action, including transfer, while claiming closeness with the CJI.

In his August 10 letter, Justice Mehta had referred to alleged instances of favouritism towards particular lawyers and parties and questioned Justice Sharma’s exercise of roster and administrative powers.

Meanwhile, the CJI said that the Supreme Court cannot permit individual complaints concerning judges to be decided through competing claims in the media. “The Supreme Court cannot allow individual complaints concerning judges to be determined through competing claims in the media,” CJI Kant said.

Justice Sharma, who was appointed as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in November 2016 and later served at the Patna High Court following his transfer, returned to the Rajasthan High Court and was appointed Acting Chief Justice with effect from September 28, 2025. He is due to retire on September 26, 2026, according to available judicial records.

–IANS

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