Judicial Discipline Is Vital, Former CJI Gavai Says Amid Rajasthan High Court Controversy

Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai said judicial discipline is essential, but complaints against judges cannot be handled under one universal rule. Speaking in Jaipur after delivering the Yashraj Samant Memorial Annual Arbitration Lecture, he addressed the controversy involving Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta and Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.

Gavai said he was surprised when he first read about the dispute in newspapers. He declined to assess the merits of the case because it concerned the judiciary, but said Mehta was his friend and had served as his junior judge. Mehta reportedly sent three letters, dated Aug. 2, 10, and 17, to the then Chief Justice of India seeking action against Sharma.

According to the report, Mehta raised concerns about the Rajasthan High Court’s administration and accused Sharma of misusing his authority. He also allegedly said Sharma had threatened fellow judges with transfers and claimed proximity to the Chief Justice of India. Mehta called for the early appointment of a permanent chief justice, arguing that continued delay was harming the institution. Sharma rejected the allegations as false, baseless, and driven by personal grievances, and reportedly submitted a written response.

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The Rajasthan High Court is like a mother to me. How can I remain silent if my mother is being mistreated? I have run out of patience.

Gavai said Mehta had explained his actions by comparing the Rajasthan High Court to a mother who was being mistreated. “I have run out of patience,” Mehta told him, according to Gavai. Gavai then spoke with friends in the Rajasthan High Court and said what he heard was shocking, changing his initial impression that Mehta had acted improperly.

He recalled a separate case during his Supreme Court tenure in which a complaint against a High Court judge came before the collegium. Then-CJI Sanjiv Khanna convened a meeting the same day, examined the allegations, and transferred the judge based on the facts, Gavai said. Although such matters should normally remain confidential, he questioned what options remained when alleged irregularities became widespread.

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What I heard about the situation in the Rajasthan High Court was really shocking.