Something is rotten in Allahabad High Court: Katju

In a strong indictment of a judge of the Allahabad High Court for passing orders on extraneous considerations, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the Chief Justice of the High Court to take action against the judge concerned and some other judges facing complaints.

A Bench of Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra said: “The faith of the common man in the country is shaken to the core by such shocking and outrageous orders as the kind which have been passed by the single judge.”

Writing the order, Justice Katju said: “'Something is rotten in the State of Denmark', said Shakespeare in Hamlet, and it can similarly be said something is rotten in the Allahabad High Court, as this case illustrates.”

The Bench said: “We are sorry to say but a lot of complaints are coming against certain judges of the Allahabad High Court relating to their integrity. Some judges have their kith and kin practising in the same court, and within a few years of starting practice, the sons or relations of the judge become multi-millionaires, have huge bank balances, luxurious cars, huge houses and are enjoying a luxurious life. This is a far cry from the days when the sons and other relatives of judges could derive no benefit from their relationship and had to struggle at the Bar like any other lawyer.”