Supreme Court’s Ban on Judge Sparks Judicial Controversy
- August 8, 2025
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Supreme Court’s Decision Sparks Judicial Tension
The Supreme Court’s recent decision to prohibit an Allahabad High Court judge from presiding over criminal cases has ignited significant tension within the higher judiciary. This move, which affects Justice Prashant Kumar, has led to a collective response from at least 13 high court judges. They have addressed a letter to Chief Justice Arun Bhansali, urging him to resist the Supreme Court’s directive and call for a full court meeting.
Controversial Order and Judicial Response
The controversy began with an order issued on August 4, which barred Justice Kumar from handling criminal cases until his retirement. The Supreme Court criticized the orders passed by him as being based on “apparently baseless findings.” In response, High Court judge Justice Arindam Sinha, along with 12 other judges, expressed their discontent in a letter. They argued that the Supreme Court lacks administrative authority over high courts and requested a full court meeting to formally express their dissatisfaction with the order’s tone.
Case Background and Legal Implications
The case at the center of this judicial dispute involves a business transaction where a company was accused of failing to pay the remaining balance in a civil matter. A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan condemned Justice Kumar’s decision to uphold criminal summons in this civil dispute as one of the “worst and most erroneous” they had encountered. Consequently, they ordered his removal from criminal cases and reassigned him to a division bench with a senior judge.
Supreme Court’s Critique and Future Proceedings
The Supreme Court’s harsh critique followed a petition by M/S Shikhar Chemicals challenging the high court’s decision not to quash summons against them. Lalita Textiles, the complainant, alleged unpaid dues for supplied threads. Despite being deemed a civil matter by the petitioner, the high court rejected their plea, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court. The case is scheduled for another hearing today.
