Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta; (right) Acting Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Justice S P SharmaChief Justice of India Surya Kant has sought comments from “both sides” in the matter involving Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta and Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice S P Sharma.Justice Mehta had written to the CJI, seeking the transfer of Justice Sharma and the appointment of a permanent Chief Justice from another High Court. In his letters, Justice Mehta alleged “gross maladministration”, misuse of administrative powers and favouritism in the functioning of the Rajasthan High Court.It is learnt that the CJI sought comments because allegations were being made by both sides. Sources familiar with the developments said the Collegium was already deliberating on the appointment of Chief Justices to the remaining High Courts.Also Read | Months before claims against Rajasthan judge, lawyers’ body sought his transferThe CJI’s office issued a statement, underlining that he had “taken note of the concerns raised in the letters” written by Justice Mehta while “stressing that allegations against a sitting judge must be dealt with strictly through the established institutional mechanism” and that “the Supreme Court cannot allow individual complaints concerning judges to be determined through competing claims in the media”.“The CJI maintained that the contents of the letters cannot be adjudicated in the public domain and that the concerned judge must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached. The fact that allegations have been made, therefore, cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge,” the statement said.Currently, seven of the 25 High Courts across the country have acting Chief Justices. On August 6, the Collegium recommended the appointment of Chief Justices to High Courts in Patna, Bombay, Calcutta and Punjab and Haryana. The Collegium is yet to make recommendations for Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan HCs.Also Read | ‘Misuse of powers’: Why a Supreme Court Justice wants a judge transferredIt is learnt that Justice Sharma’s candidature was “actively being considered” for appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan HC. He has been Acting Chief Justice of his parent HC since September 28, 2025, the longest among the seven ACJs.Story continues below this adIncidentally, Justice Sharma was appointed as a HC judge on the same day as two other judges: Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur. However, given his age, Justice Sharma took the oath of office first, establishing him higher in seniority. As per convention, the most senior judge is appointed acting Chief Justice. He is slated to retire on September 26, if not considered for elevation as a Supreme Court judge.Before Justice Mehta’s letters to the CJI became public, it is learnt that the judge had sought a meeting to discuss the issue. However, sources said that the CJI’s travel schedule did not allow time for such a meeting.The CJI, who is currently in Frankfurt, is scheduled to undertake a series of high-level judicial and legal engagements in Germany and the United Kingdom from August 26 to 30. His programme includes meetings with senior German judicial officials and participation in the Indo-German Arbitration Conclave in Berlin.In the United Kingdom, the CJI is expected to attend the Commonwealth Policy Dialogue on Climate Justice in London and address the 43rd International Symposium on Economic Crimes at Cambridge University.Apurva Vishwanath is the National Legal Editor at The Indian Express, where she leads the organization’s coverage of the Indian judiciary, constitutional law, and public policy. A law graduate with a B.A., LL.B (Hons) from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Apurva brings over a decade of specialized experience to her reporting. She is an authority on judicial appointments and the Supreme Court Collegium, providing critical analysis of the country’s legal landscape. Before joining The Indian Express in 2019, she honed her expertise at The Print and Mint. Follow her insights on the intersection of law and governance on Twitter ... Read More