Rajasthan HC Row: SC Judge Mehta Seeks Removal Of Acting CJ Sharma

Supreme Court Judge Sandeep Mehta has written to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to demand the immediate appointment of a Chief Justice from another state to head the Rajasthan High Court.

In letters dated August 2, August 10 and August 17, Mehta accused Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma of maladministration, malpractices, nepotism and favouritism, as News18 reported.

Mehta said, “However, till date, the request to have a Chief Justice from another State in my parent High Court has met no positive response.”

Mehta previously raised concerns with Kant about cases being withdrawn from other benches and transferred to Sharma’s court “without any justifiable cause”. Kant initially requested specifics about these cases and later assured him that suitable action would be taken. Mehta also said he received several complaints from Rajasthan High Court judges about Sharma’s conduct.

Threats & Case Manipulation

Mehta cited direct instances of alleged judicial manipulation. In his August 2 letter, he said, “numerous Judges of Rajasthan High Court have met me and expressed their anguish at the behaviour of Mr. Justice SP Sharma, who frequently threatens his colleague judges of retributive action, including transfer, claiming his closeness with Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India.”

Appeals concerning a batch of what Mehta described as “priceless lands” in Udaipur were shifted to a Jaipur seat bench headed by Sharma. This transfer violated an earlier judicial view that cases falling within the jurisdiction of the principal bench in Jodhpur could not move to Jaipur. Mehta also pointed to the counsel appearing for one of the parties, alleging that Sharma was “espousing the elevation” of the lawyer’s daughter-in-law to the Rajasthan High Court.

The second case involved mining magnate Meghraj Singh. Mehta alleged that a matter arising from criminal jurisdiction was registered as a Special Appeal Writ and placed before Sharma’s bench despite, according to him, no such appeal being maintainable. The bench condoned a 457-day delay on the first day and stayed a direction passed by the single judge.

Mehta said, “These instances manifest brazen misuse of powers by the Acting Chief Justice Mr SP Sharma in order to favour influential parties and smack of corruption.”

Administrative Concerns

The August 17 letter detailed additional administrative irregularities. Mehta referenced a purported message by Justice Uma Shankar Vyas. The message expressed anguish over alleged vindictive action against his wife, Nandini Vyas, a senior officer in the district judiciary.

The letter cited delays in inaugurating Jodhpur’s new court building and alleged irregularities regarding permanent Lok Adalat appointments. Mehta drew parallels to a prior Supreme Court observation led by Kant. That bench noted judges passing orders for extraneous considerations shortly before retirement to “hit sixes” before demitting office, an approach Mehta alleged Sharma adopted after taking charge as Acting Chief Justice.

Sharma’s tenure at the Rajasthan High Court began in November 2016. Following a 2022 transfer to the Patna High Court and a subsequent stint at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he returned to Rajasthan after a May 2025 Collegium recommendation, eventually assuming the role of Acting Chief Justice. Mehta stressed that the situation requires urgent intervention, urging Kant to appoint a Chief Justice from another state “with immediate effect”.