Supreme Court Faces Scrutiny Over RTI Query on Ex-Madras HC Judge

The Supreme Court administration informed the Delhi High Court it lacks records of complaints against an ex-Madras High Court acting chief justice. This response comes amid a petition challenging the denial of such information under the RTI Act. The court advised written submissions, with a hearing set for April 1.

The Supreme Court administration stated on Wednesday that it does not maintain information on complaints against a former acting chief justice of the Madras High Court, nor does the Chief Justice of India have such reports. The disclosure was made during a session in the Delhi High Court.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, addressing the session, inquired if any complaint records existed regarding the former judge. The court's lawyer clarified that the registry does not keep such data in the required format, prompting the court to request written submissions before an April 1 hearing.

The petitioner, Saurav Das, through an RTI filed in April 2023, questioned whether any complaints against Justice Raja had been lodged during his tenure. The RTI was denied based on procedural grounds, which Das contests, arguing public interest demands transparency from the judiciary.

(With inputs from agencies.)