Rajasthan Excessive Court docket performing chief justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has denied all allegations levelled towards him by Supreme Court docket choose Justice Sandeep Mehta, calling them “baseless” and saying they had been made out of “animosity”.
In his first public response to the controversy, Justice Sharma stated he had submitted his response, together with proof, to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and urged the media, legal professionals and others to attend for the CJI’s resolution.
“Latest developments within the media and social media” had prompted him to concern the clarification, Justice Sharma stated in a press release in Hindi.
Justice Sharma stated he had “denied with proof” the allegations made by Justice Mehta in his letters to the CJI, describing the accusations as “unfounded, false and factless”.
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The allegations surfaced after Justice Mehta, in three letters dated August 2, 10 and 17, urged CJI Surya Kant to nominate a chief justice from one other excessive court docket to move the Rajasthan Excessive Court docket and sought Justice Sharma’s switch out of Rajasthan.
Justice Mehta had accused the performing chief justice of maladministration, corruption, nepotism and favouritism. He additionally alleged that Justice Sharma had misused his powers as grasp of the roster by selectively shifting circumstances to his personal bench and had favoured “wealthy and influential” litigants.
Justice Mehta had additionally raised issues over a number of administrative choices on the excessive court docket, together with the functioning of the Jodhpur principal seat and a three-day convention in Jaipur. He alleged that the court docket’s functioning and administrative choices underneath Justice Sharma had raised severe questions in regards to the establishment.
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What Justice Sharma stated
In his assertion, Justice Sharma appealed to the media, members of the Bar and others to respect the ideas of justice and train restraint till the CJI takes a choice.
“I’ve full religion within the Indian judicial system,” he stated, including that he would seem earlier than the media himself and current his aspect as soon as the CJI offers him permission to take action.
Justice Sharma additionally stated he would clarify his place publicly “on the proper time”, topic to the CJI’s approval.
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His response comes days after CJI Surya Kant stated allegations towards a sitting choose can’t be handled as findings with out due course of. The CJI had stated the matter was being examined via the suitable institutional mechanism and that Justice Sharma have to be given a good alternative to reply.
“The truth that allegations have been made can’t by itself be handled as a discovering towards the choose,” CJI Kant had stated, in keeping with Hindustan Occasions.
Controversy over Rajasthan HC management
The dispute has unfolded because the Rajasthan Excessive Court docket has remained with out a everlasting chief justice, with Justice Sharma serving as performing chief justice.
On September 1, the Supreme Court docket collegium beneficial Chhattisgarh Excessive Court docket choose Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal as the following chief justice of the Rajasthan Excessive Court docket. The advice got here amid protests by legal professionals in Jaipur and Jodhpur in search of the appointment of a daily chief justice.
Justice Sharma had additionally opted out of judicial work till September 5 because the controversy intensified.