Supreme Court Reviews Lokpal Order on High Court Judge Complaints

The Supreme Court has initiated a suo motu review of a Lokpal order involving complaints against a sitting high court judge. The complaints allege the judge influenced other judges to favor a private company. The matter has been deferred pending guidance from the Chief Justice of India.

The Supreme Court has embarked on a suo motu review of a Lokpal order that addressed complaints against a sitting high court judge. A bench consisting of Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, and Abhay S Oka will deliberate the petition on Thursday.

The complaints allege that the high court judge exerted influence over an additional district judge and a fellow high court judge in a manner that favored a private company, previously represented by the judge during their tenure as an advocate.

The Lokpal's order, dated January 27, defers consideration of the complaints until further guidance is received from the Chief Justice of India, keeping the statutory time frame in view. The decision solely confirmed whether high court judges fall under Section 14 of the 2013 Act, without assessing the complaints' merits.