Chief lays down the law, so judges desert High Court

Sources said that the judges are likely to resume duties tomorrow after they were ‘‘pulled up’’ by the Supreme Court and asked to bring the ‘‘showdown to an end.’’

Condemning the mass leave, the Bar Association has raised the issue of judicial accountability.

The Chief Justice’s letter asking for an explanation was the catalyst. For, trouble has been brewing in the High Court over the last few months as evidenced by a flurry of letters between the Chief Justice and the judges.

Earlier, administrative duties had been allocated to High Court judges, most of whom had declined. Subsequently, work was distributed among half a dozen judges.

Sources said that Justices Surya Kant, Rajiv Bhalla and Ajay Mittal were on a day’s leave, while other judges were on leave till Friday. Justice G S Singhvi, who was already on leave, has extended it.

The root cause of the problem, leading to the stand-off at many courtrooms is attributed to Justice Roy’s notice to Justices Viney Mittal and Virender Singh asking them to explain how they accepted ex-officio membership of the Forest Hill Club.

As a reaction to the notice, 21 judges wrote back to him, saying his communication in this regard was ‘‘malafide and out of bias.’’

The controversy did not end there. The Chief Justice wrote back to the judges asserting his authority and referring to Supreme Court judgments.

The charges against him, said the Chief Justice in his letter, further showed the continued bias against him but would not deter him from the ‘‘path of rectitude.’’

Although the High Court recently appointed M M Singh Bedi as Registrar Judicial-cum-Public Relations Officer, he did not comment and no one else from the High Court was willing to comment on the situation.

As a result of the mass leave, hundreds of harassed litigants were caught unawares. The High Court was virtually shut down with only the Chief Justice B K Roy and Justice Amar Dutt holding court.