‘Serious concern’: Rajasthan lawyers break silence on allegations against acting Chief Justice

Justice Mehta accused Justice Sharma of “misuse of powers” and said he had received “several complaints” which “raise doubts” on the Acting CJ’s “integrity”.

“The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has requested an institutional investigation. Since this matter is extremely serious and concerns the institutional dignity and independence of the judiciary, the legal community views this entire development with deep concern,” the associations said in a joint statement.

“We strongly and unequivocally condemn any alleged misuse of any position, office, or institutional arrangement within the judiciary… any incident, conduct, or situation that calls into question the impartiality, dignity, or credibility of the judiciary must be addressed with the utmost seriousness,” they said.

At the Thursday meeting, it was unanimously decided that “a joint meeting of all the officials of the three associations would be held to discuss the facts and circumstances in detail, and then decide on the next strategy and decision” in two days.

‘Necessary action should be taken’

“We also humbly expect from the Hon’ble Judiciary that necessary action should be taken in this entire matter by giving top priority to institutional dignity, independence and transparency…,” they said.

Earlier, in December 2025 and in April, the Rajasthan High Court Advocates’ Association, Jodhpur, had written to the CJI seeking a permanent Chief Justice for the HC.

In December, it had said that the relationship between the Bench and the Bar was deteriorating and that, “the absence of a permanent Chief Justice often leads to an administrative vacuum or, as witnessed currently, an overreach of acting powers.”

In April, they had requested the CJI to shift the acting CJ out of Rajasthan “so that harmony can be maintained between the Bar and the Bench.”

It had said that, “The lack of communication and treatment of advocates is leading to frequent disagreements and conflicts between the Bar and the Bench…”

Meanwhile, both Jodhpur-based lawyers’ associations have requested the acting CJ to ensure that the judges’ strength at the principal seat in the city be suitably increased.

In their letter to the acting CJ, they said that it has been the consistent tradition, practice and institutional history that the strength in Jodhpur “has ordinarily remained higher than that at the Jaipur Bench…”

They said that on several occasions, both associations have requested that the permanent sitting at Jodhpur be suitably increased, “keeping in view the enormous volume of litigation, mounting pendency and the continuing institutional responsibilities of the Principal Seat…”

Objecting to the nomination of two judges to Jaipur Bench despite their letters, they said, “It is, therefore, a matter of serious concern for the members of the Bar that, notwithstanding the repeated representations for strengthening the permanent sitting at Jodhpur, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Farzand Ali as well as Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arun Monga have recently been nominated to sit permanently at the Jaipur Bench until further orders.”

They said that such an arrangement “has caused considerable concern amongst the members of the Bar. At a time when the Principal Seat is already facing substantial pendency, and when both the Associations have repeatedly sought augmentation of judicial strength at Jodhpur, the reduction, rather than enhancement, of the permanent judicial strength at the Principal Seat appears contrary to the legitimate institutional expectation of the Bar.”

Five requests to acting CJ

In this context, both the associations have made five requests to the acting CJ, including that the arrangement regarding both the Judges be reconsidered; the established institutional balance, whereby the permanent sitting at the Principal Seat, Jodhpur, remains suitably higher than that at the Jaipur Bench, be restored and maintained; and enhancement of the permanent judicial strength at Jodhpur be considered.

“Both the Associations are conscious of the fact that matters relating to roster, sitting arrangements and deployment of Hon’ble Judges fall within the administrative domain of the Hon’ble Chief Justice. The present representation is therefore being made with the utmost respect for such constitutional authority. Nevertheless, the Bar, as an indispensable component of the justice-delivery system, is equally entitled to place before the Hon’ble Chief Justice the practical and institutional difficulties being experienced at the Principal Seat,” they said.