SC cites ‘worst order’ as it takes HC judge off criminal matters

The Supreme Court wondered whether such orders are passed on some extraneous considerations or it is sheer ignorance of law.

The Supreme Court has directed that an Allahabad High Court judge be stripped of all criminal jurisdiction until his retirement and made to sit with a seasoned senior judge to understand the nuances of law, after finding his recent ruling to be one of the “worst and most erroneous” orders encountered by the top court.

The top court went on to direct the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court to immediately withdraw the present “criminal determination” from the judge, and ensure he does not handle any criminal jurisdiction henceforth. (HT)

The unusual direction, issued by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, came in a criminal matter where the high court judge, Justice