Similarly, High Court Chief Justices are authorized to handle complaints concerning High Court judges, as stated by Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply to Rajya Sabha member P. Wilson.
New Delhi, Dec 5: The Parliament was informed on Thursday that under the “In-House Procedure” for the constitutional judiciary, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is empowered to receive complaints regarding the conduct of Supreme Court judges and Chief Justices of High Courts.
Similarly, High Court Chief Justices are authorized to handle complaints concerning High Court judges, as stated by Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply to Rajya Sabha member P. Wilson.
Responding to Wilson’s query on why the government has not developed a judicial code of conduct in consultation with the CJI, the minister explained that the Supreme Court had adopted two resolutions during a full Court meeting in May 1997.
The first, titled “The Restatement of Values of Judicial Life,” outlines judicial standards and principles to be upheld by judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The second resolution establishes an “In-House Procedure” for taking remedial action against judges failing to adhere to these standards or universal judicial values.
On the issue of case backlogs in tribunals nationwide, Meghwal attributed delays to factors such as the complexity of cases, evidence-related challenges, stakeholder cooperation, frequent adjournments, non-compliance with tribunal summons, and appeals against ex-parte orders.
He also noted that lawyer absences and frequent adjournment requests exacerbate pendency. The establishment of tribunal benches is managed by the respective ministries, based on necessity, he added.
Recently, A group of advocates from the Karnataka High Court, including several senior members of the Bar, have expressed serious concerns about the administrative and judicial performance of the Chief Justice.
In a memorandum addressed to the Chief Justice of India, signed by over 100 advocates and submitted by T.G. Ravi, General Secretary of the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru, they highlighted issues such as inefficiency, unequal work distribution, and systemic challenges affecting the court’s reputation.
The advocates emphasized they have no personal agenda and are acting solely to “restore the glory of the High Court and rebuild public confidence in the institution.”
A key allegation focuses on the Chief Justice’s punctuality.
The memorandum states, “The Chief Justice has not started court proceedings at 10:30 a.m. for several months and consistently finishes much earlier than 4:45 p.m.”
This, they argue, has hindered the disposal of important cases, including Public Interest Litigations (PILs), Writ Appeals, and Green Bench matters.
The advocates added that delayed case listings and insufficient court hours discourage lawyers and litigants from approaching the High Court, eroding public trust in the institution.
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