NEW DELHI — In a major administrative development within the Indian higher judiciary, Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta has addressed a series of communications to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice Surya Kant, requesting urgent institutional interventions regarding the administrative leadership at the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan.
Justice Mehta’s representations, issued across three formal letters in August 2026, call for the immediate appointment of a full-time Chief Justice selected from a neutral out-of-state High Court to take charge of the Rajasthan High Court. The communications further highlight serious administrative concerns surrounding the current functioning of the Acting Chief Justice, Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, and recommend his administrative transfer out of the state to maintain institutional integrity.
Key Concerns Raised in the Representations
The letters submitted by the sitting Supreme Court judge emphasize several critical administrative issues:
- Assignment and Listing of Matters: The correspondence flags instances where complex roster assignments and case listings—particularly concerning high-value real estate litigation in Udaipur—were allegedly routed to specific benches contrary to established jurisdictional norms and prior judicial rulings on seat allocations between Principal and Bench seats.
- Decorum and Peer Relations: Reports gathered during official visits indicate growing dissatisfaction among sitting High Court judges concerning supervisory conduct and assertions of retributive administrative measures.
- Appointments to Subordinate Tribunals: The communications draw attention to complaints received regarding appointments to Permanent Lok Adalats and prospective recommendations for elevation to the High Court bench, stressing that all prospective judicial appointments must strictly adhere to objective practice credentials and independence.
The representations draw heavily upon recent remarks made by the Supreme Court bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, which warned against the practice of departing from established institutional norms or issuing controversial administrative orders during the twilight period of a judge's tenure prior to retirement.
Judicial Career Backgrounds
Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma was elevated as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in November 2016. He was subsequently transferred to the Patna High Court in 2022 and later to the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in 2023 following decisions by the Supreme Court Collegium. In May 2025, he returned to the Rajasthan High Court upon Collegium recommendations and has been serving as its Acting Chief Justice for over ten months.
Justice Sandeep Mehta was elevated to the bench of the Rajasthan High Court in May 2011. He was later appointed as the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in February 2023, prior to his elevation as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India in November 2023.
Overview of Legal & Administrative Issues
| Issue Category | Institutional Context & Key Points |
|---|---|
| High Court Leadership | Need for a permanent Chief Justice from an outside High Court to ensure administrative objectivity. |
| Case Assignment Rules | Compliance with roster conventions and jurisdictional limits between Jaipur and Jodhpur seats. |
| Judicial Appointments | Transparency and merit-based criteria for recommendations to higher judicial offices and tribunals. |
| Collegium Oversight | Powers of the Supreme Court Collegium under Article 222 of the Constitution regarding judge transfers. |
Discription: NEW DELHI — Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta has written three letters to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, requesting the immediate transfer of Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and the appointment of an out-of-state Chief Justice.
Justice Mehta alleged that ACJ Sharma misused his administrative authority ahead of his upcoming retirement, manipulated case listings for high-value land disputes, and influenced appointments to local tribunals and High Court elevation recommendations. The letters cite concerns over judicial decorum and draw on recent Supreme Court warnings against judges passing controversial orders near retirement. ACJ Sharma has served as Acting Chief Justice for over ten months following prior transfers to Patna and Punjab & Haryana High Courts.