PERHAPS IT IS A BAD TIME FOR THE ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT. Some 15 years ago, Justice Markandey Katju sitting in the Supreme Court observed in a judicial order:-
“The Allahabad High Court really needs some house cleaning (both Allahabad and Lucknow Bench), and we request Hon'ble the Chief Justice of the High Court to do the needful, even if he has to take some strong measures, including recommending transfers of the incorrigibles.”
(Raja Khan v. U.P.Sunni Central Wakf Board, 2011 (2) SCC 741)
One is not sure whether the Augean stables have been cleared or not. But we get more news of judges of that court, in the latest instance, due to the remarks (now recalled) passed against Justice Prashant Kumar of the Allahabad High Court by the Supreme Court in an order passed on August 4. Never in the 75 years of history of the Supreme Court had any such judicial order been passed against a sitting judge of a High Court.
Following this, in fact, thirteen senior judges of the Allahabad High Court yesterday wrote to the Chief Justice of the High Court to not abide by the Supreme Court’s order. In the morning today, on August 8, in an unusual development, the Supreme Court recalled the order, noting that its intention was “not to cause embarrassment or cast aspersions on the concerned judge.”
