High Court pulls up errant judges

By Nirnimesh Kumar

NEW DELHI, DEC. 9.

Following the withdrawal of judicial powers of as many as nine judicial officers on Friday, there was a strong apprehension in the three District courts today that more officials will be stripped of their powers.

Lawyers in general welcomed the High Court decision to withdraw judicial powers of these officials saying that the action was due for long as the conditions in these courts had become worse for the litigants.

The judges and magistrates whose judicial powers were withdrawn were found absent from their respective court rooms and their staff were found sitting idle with nothing much to do.

The court staff also generally welcomed the decision and were heard discussing in hushed voices that more judicial officers were likely to be divested of their powers in a couple of weeks.

The anticipation was strong among the lawyers. The High Court is reportedly seized of serious complaints against some more judges and it is likely to examine and take a decision on them within a fortnight.

There are about more than a dozen judicial officials who have been accused of behaving improperly with litigants or indulging in questionable practices.

The complaints have been made by inspecting judges, advocates and, in several cases, the litigants themselves.

Mr. R.S. Khanna, Mr. R.S. Verma, Additional Sessions Judges, Mr. R.K. Tewari, Mr. Rakesh Garg and Mr. V.K. Malhotra, Additional District Judges, and Ms. Archana Sinha, Mr. R.B. Singh, Ms. Barkha Gupta and Mr. Suraj Bhan, Metropolitan Magistrates, were divested of the power to sit in judgment by the High Court on Friday.

An enquiry was also ordered against them. They will not be allowed to hold court till the enquiry report is submitted and a decision taken by the High Court.

On complaints from several quarters, including inspecting judges, that they were indulging in corrupt practices, the Full Court, under the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Arajit Pasayat, met and, after prolonged discussion, decided to withdraw their judicial powers with immediate effect.

The Full Court, in its decision, noted that these officers lacked judicial temperament and indulged in questionable practices.

The order said these nine officials will now cease to take up cases pending in their respective courts for hearing. These cases will now be transferred to other courts by the District Judge.

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Section  : Other States
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