SC Judge Sandeep Mehta writes to CJI against ACJ of Rajasthan HC

NEW DELHI, Aug 26: Supreme Court judge Sandeep Mehta has urged Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to appoint with “immediate effect” a chief justice from outside Rajasthan to head the high court in the state, alleging serious administrative irregularities and selective case listings under its acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.

Justice Mehta, in his three letters dated August 2, 10 and 17, has accused the acting chief justice of the Rajasthan High Court of “maladministration”, “malpractices”, “nepotism” and “favouritism”.

The top court judge alleged that Justice Sharma had misused his powers as master of the roster to selectively transfer cases to his own bench, including matters involving influential and wealthy litigants.

Justice Mehta was appointed a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in May 2011. He became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in February 2023 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in November the same year.

Justice Sharma was appointed a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in November 2016 and transferred to the Patna High Court in January 2022.

His request for repatriation to Rajasthan on health grounds was not accepted by the Supreme Court Collegium in March 2023.