New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Sandeep Mehta has written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) urging to appoint, “with immediate effect”, a Chief Justice from another State to head the Rajasthan High Court, alleging that its acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has been misusing his administrative powers and manipulating case listings to favour “rich litigants”.
Justice Mehta has accused acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma of manipulating case listings in favour of rich litigants and misusing his administrative powers ahead of his retirement, due later next month, according to letters dated August 2, August 10 and August 17, as reported by Bar and Bench.
Doubts raised over integrity
"There are innumerable instances of Mr. Justice Sharma exercising powers as the Acting Chief Justice in a manner unbecoming of the leader of the institution... I have received several complaints about the judicial functioning of Mr. Justice S.P. Sharma which, prima facie, raise doubts on his integrity," Justice Mehra wrote in his first letter.
In the follow-up letter dated August 10, Justice Mehta cited more particular instances of alleged favouritism shown by Justice Sharma to certain lawyers and misuse of roster powers.
Sharma's judicial tenure
Justice Mehta flagged that Justice Sharma has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice for an unusually long term of ten months. In 2016, Justice Sharma was elevated to the Rajasthan High Court.
He was transferred to the Patna High Court in 2022. Justice Mehta pointed out that in March 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium had refused Justice Sharma's request for repatriation to the Rajasthan High Court on health grounds, and proposed his transfer to the Punjab and Haryana High Court instead. Justice Mehta says the Collegium's refusal to repatriate him to the Rajasthan High Court was presumably taken in view of "the past conduct of Mr. Justice S.P. Sharma while he was serving as a puisne Judge in the Rajasthan High Court."
Repatriation to Rajasthan High Court
However, in May 2026, the Supreme Court Collegium permitted the repatriation of Justice Sharma to the Rajasthan High Court. Justice Mehta also raised concerns about the administration of the Rajasthan High Court.
Call for immediate transfer
"It is thus my earnest request that the Supreme Court Collegium should meet at the earliest and ensure that a regular Chief Justice is appointed in the Rajasthan High Court and Mr. Justice S.P. Sharma is forthwith transferred out of the State looking to his unbecoming conduct," Justice Mehta wrote. The copies of the letters were forwarded to other members of the Supreme Court Collegium, as well as to the President of India.
