Today, On 17th December, Supreme Court said such quorum shopping is unacceptable, as CJI Surya Kant reacted to allegations against trial court judges. Senior Advocate Indira Jaising flagged last-minute complaints made to High Courts, leaving cases stranded when orders are due imminent.
Advocate Harish Chandra Shukla faces contempt charges for accusing a judge of bias during a murder case bail hearing. The Allahabad High Court deemed his allegations serious misconduct and initiated criminal contempt proceedings against him. The case will be investigated further, with Justice Siddharth recusing himself from it.
Justice JJ Munir of the Allahabad High Court expressed concern about aggressive litigants due to the judiciary’s hesitance to invoke contempt powers, respecting free speech rights. The court dismissed baseless allegations against a presiding officer, emphasizing the need for responsible exercise of rights and maintaining the integrity of the judiciary, imposing costs on the petitioner.
Justice G. Jayachandran criticized Justice G.R. Swaminathan for bias against State police and hasty decision-making in YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar’s detention case. Swaminathan’s failure to consult his bench partner and refusal to allow the State to file a counter affidavit led Jayachandran to declare Swaminathan’s opinion invalid. Swaminathan’s explanations were deemed inadequate.
The Principal District and Sessions Judge at Rouse Avenue Court dismissed a plea to transfer the Bhushan Power and Steel money laundering case based on a judge’s alleged bias remark. The Delhi High Court supported this decision, stating the remark did not prove bias. As a result, the case was reassigned to Judge Kumar.
The Delhi High Court on 28th May laid out guidelines for handling transfer applications based on allegations of judicial bias, emphasizing judges’ right to respond to such allegations. In a case involving comments made by a judge, the court set aside the transfer order, stressing the importance of upholding judicial accountability and protecting the integrity of judges.