NewKerala.com

Govt Says Complaints Against Judges Handled by Judiciary's In-House Mechanism

The Union government informed Parliament that complaints against judges of the higher judiciary are addressed through an internal mechanism managed by the judiciary itself. Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justices of High Courts are competent to examine such grievances based on procedures established in 1997. Data shared shows the number of complaints received by the CJI's office has fluctuated over the past decade, exceeding a thousand in several recent years. The government indicated no plans to introduce a separate system, reiterating that all complaints are forwarded to the appropriate judicial authorities.

Key Points: Complaints Against Judges Handled by In-House Mechanism: Govt

  • In-house mechanism for judicial complaints
  • CJI, High Court Chiefs handle grievances
  • Based on 1997 Supreme Court resolutions
  • Complaints forwarded from CPGRAMS
2 min read

Complaints against judges handled through judiciary's in-house mechanism: Govt tells Parliament

Union govt tells Parliament that complaints against higher judiciary judges are dealt with internally by the CJI and High Court Chief Justices.

"The complaints received against Judges and Chief Justices of the High Courts are handled by the judiciary through an 'in-house mechanism' - Arjun Ram Meghwal"

New Delhi, Feb 13

The Union government said on Friday that complaints against judges of the higher judiciary are dealt with under an "in-house mechanism" evolved by the judiciary, with the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justices of High Courts competent to examine such grievances.

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State (MoS) for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Arjun Ram Meghwal, said that the independence of the judiciary is enshrined in the Constitution and complaints are handled internally as per established procedures.

"Independence of Judiciary is enshrined in the Constitution of India. The complaints received against Judges and Chief Justices of the High Courts are handled by the judiciary through an 'in-house mechanism'," the MoS said in a written statement laid on the table of the Lok Sabha.

Meghwal, who is also the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, told the House that the Supreme Court, on May 7, 1997, adopted two resolutions -- "The Restatement of Values of Judicial Life" and the "In-house procedure" -- to lay down judicial standards and provide for remedial measures against judges who do not adhere to accepted values.

As per the established in-house procedure for the higher judiciary, the CJI is competent to receive complaints against judges of the Supreme Court and Chief Justices of High Courts, while Chief Justices of High Courts are empowered to receive complaints against High Court judges.

"Complaints against members of the Higher Judiciary received vide Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) or in any other form are forwarded to the Chief Justice of India or Chief Justices of High Courts competent to receive such complaints," MoS Meghwal said.

Sharing data provided by the Supreme Court, the MoS added that the number of complaints received in the office of the CJI against sitting judges over the last 10 years stood at 729 in 2016, 682 in 2017, 717 in 2018, 1,037 in 2019, 518 in 2020, 686 in 2021, 1,012 in 2022, 977 in 2023, 1,170 in 2024 and 1,102 in 2025.

The Union government did not indicate any proposal to introduce a separate mechanism beyond the existing in-house procedure, reiterating that complaints received through the CPGRAMS or any other mode are forwarded to the CJI or Chief Justices of High Courts competent for appropriate action.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The numbers are concerning! Over 1000 complaints in the last few years? While independence is crucial, there must be more transparency in how these complaints are resolved. The public deserves to know the outcomes, not just the intake numbers.
A
Arjun K
Judges judging judges? This feels like an old boys' club. For true accountability, we need an independent body with external members. The current system might protect the institution's image, but does it ensure justice? 🤔
S
Sarah B
It's interesting to see the data. The spike in complaints in 2019, 2022, and 2024-25 is notable. Could this be linked to increased public awareness or specific high-profile cases? More context would be helpful.
V
Vikram M
The 1997 resolutions are a good foundation. "Restatement of Values of Judicial Life" is important. But times have changed. Maybe it's time for a review to strengthen the procedure and build more public trust. Jai Hind.
K
Kavya N
At least there is a formal channel via CPGRAMS. Many people don't even know where to complain. This information should be widely publicized. Accountability starts with accessible grievance redressal.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50