Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court collegium was already working on the appointment of chief justices to the remaining high courts, amid the controversy triggered by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta’s letters alleging maladministration and other serious irregularities by Rajasthan High Court acting chief justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.
CJI Kant, in a press statement, said he and other senior judges of the collegium have taken note of the concerns raised by Justice Mehta but stressed that allegations against a sitting judge had to be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism.
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Deep Dive
What specific allegations did Justice Mehta make against Justice Sharma?
Why did CJI Surya Kant emphasize due process in addressing the allegations against Justice Sharma?
How is the Supreme Court collegium handling the controversy surrounding Justice Sharma?
The CJI said that the contents of the letters could not be adjudicated in the public domain and that Justice Sharma must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion was reached.
“The fact that allegations have been made cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge,” said the CJI, emphasising the need for due process in dealing with complaints against members of the higher judiciary.
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{{/usCountry}}The matter, he said, was being examined at the appropriate level and the process would take into account the material placed by Justice Mehta as well as the response of Justice Sharma. Any decision on Justice Sharma’s continuation, transfer or any other administrative action would be taken by the competent institutional authority after due consideration of the material, he said.