SC stays Lokpal order of having jurisdiction to hear cases against HC judges
This story was originally published at 11:53 IST on 20 February 2025
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--SC stays Lokpal ruling allowing it to hear case against high court judges
--SC issues notice to govt, Lokpal registrar, complainant in suo moto case
NEW DELHI – Observing that it was a matter of great importance concerning independence of the judiciary, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed an order by the Lokpal of India that said it had jurisdiction to hear complaints against high court judges. Commenting on the reasoning of the Lokpal's order, the court said it was "very disturbing". The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the Lokpal's order passed on Jan. 27.
The apex court issued a notice to the Centre, registrar of the Lokpal and the complainant who had filed the case in the lokpal against high court judges. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said high court judges would never fall under the ambit of Lokpal and he had judgments to show this.
"Registrar judicial is directed to mask the identity of the complainant and serve him through the registrar judicial. We stay the impugned order and we withhold the complainant from disclosing the name of honorable judges and contents of complaint," the apex court said. It said it might hear the case next on Mar. 18.
The complaints had accused a sitting high court judge of influencing an additional district judge and another high court judge to favour a private company in a suit. The Lokpal had held that judges of high courts would come within the sweep of Section 14 of the The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The Lokpal had forwarded the complaints and relevant materials to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna for his consideration. The Lokpal had deferred the consideration of the complaints till four weeks.
The Lokpal Bill was introduced in Parliament following massive public protests led by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his associates.[The Act had established the institution of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas at the state level, providing an anti-corruption road map for the nation. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Avishek Dutta
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