Taking a serious view of its strong indictment by a Supreme Court bench, the Allahabad high court has decided to move the apex court for expunging critical remarks against it like “something is rotten” out there.
Sources said today that judges of the Allahabad high court at a meeting on November 26 voiced their anger over the Supreme Court’s critical observations against its functioning and for raising questions about its integrity. The meeting decided to move an application before the Supreme Court for expunging the critical remarks. While hearing an appeal against a stay order passed by the Allahabad high court last week, an top court bench comprising justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra said, “Something is rotten in the State of Denmark, said Shakespeare in Hamlet, and it can similarly be said that something is rotten in the Allahabad high court.”
The bench also asked the chief justice of the high court to take some strong measures, including recommending “transfers of the incorrigibles”.
It had made the observation in a 12-page order, while making the insinuation that several judges of the high court suffer from “uncle judge” syndrome, which refers to judges passing favourable orders for parties represented by lawyers known to them.
Ravi Kiran Jain, senior advocate, Allahabad high court, said the judges of the high court should file a contempt petition.
“There is no reason to escape such a notice ...The only remedy made available to the High Court to correct this damage which has already been done is to issue a notice of contempt to the judges (of Supreme Court).
“By moving a review petition to get remarks expunged is not a remedy. The damage has already been done and can be rectified only and only by issuing a show cause notice,” Mr Jain said.