Allegations against sitting judge must follow institutional process: CJI

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said Justice Sandeep Mehta's allegations against Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma will be examined through the institutional process. He said no finding can be drawn in public and any action will follow consideration of Mehta's material and Sharma's response.Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said that the Supreme Court cannot allow individual complaints concerning judges to be determined through competing claims in the media.Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday said allegations against a sitting judge must be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism and cannot be adjudicated in the public domain, referring to concerns raised by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta in his letters regarding Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.In a statement issued amid reports surrounding the controversy, the CJI said he and the other members of the Supreme Court Collegium were already working on the appointment of Chief Justices in the remaining High Courts and had considered the issues flagged by Justice Mehta.The CJI made it clear that the allegations contained in the letters cannot be adjudicated in the public domain and that the concerned judge must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached.“The fact that allegations have been made cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge,” the statement said. The CJI emphasised that the Supreme Court cannot allow individual complaints concerning judges to be determined through competing claims in the media, underscoring that such matters must be addressed through established institutional processes rather than public debate.According to the statement, the matter is being examined at the appropriate level and the process will take into account both the material placed on record by Justice Mehta and the response submitted by Justice Sharma. The CJI further said that any decision regarding the continuation, transfer or any other administrative action concerning the Acting Chief Justice would be taken by the competent institutional authority after due consideration of all relevant material.The statement came after Justice Mehta, whose parent High Court is the Rajasthan High Court, wrote three letters dated August 2, 10 and 17 raising concerns about the functioning of the court and urging the appointment of a permanent Chief Justice from outside the state.In the letters, Justice Mehta alleged maladministration, favouritism, nepotism and misuse of administrative powers by Justice Sharma. He also referred to instances in which, according to him, cases were transferred from other benches to the Acting Chief Justice's court and raised concerns regarding the administration of the High Court and the subordinate judiciary.Justice Sharma has been functioning as Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court since the retirement of former Chief Justice S. Shriram in September 2025.- EndsPublished By: Nitish SinghPublished On: Aug 27, 2026 02:10 IST