In Brief
A civil judge was dismissed from service following disciplinary proceedings for serious misconduct, including pronouncing the operative portion of judgments in open court without having prepared their complete text, and irregularities in the auction of seized properties. The High Court's Division Bench set aside the dismissal order and barred any further inquiry. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal by the High Court. The Court held that a judicial officer cannot pronounce judgment conclusions without the entire text being prepared beforehand, and blaming stenographer inefficiency does not excuse this duty. The established parameters for reviewing disciplinary penalties—proof of charges, reasonable findings, natural justice compliance, and proportionality—were properly met, and the High Court erred in creating new jurisprudence by prohibiting further proceedings.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.