Disciplinary action initiated against four judicial officers in last five years, 258 complaints received. file photo
Jagran correspondent, Nainital. A total of 258 complaints have been received by the Vigilance Cell of Uttarakhand High Court from January 1, 2020 to April 15, 2025, against judicial officers - judges of subordinate courts of the state, while disciplinary action was initiated against four judicial officers. Uttarakhand High Court has become the first High Court in the country to provide information related to corruption against judicial officers under the Right to Information Act. Earlier, Chhattisgarh, Madras and Delhi High Court had refused to give information.
In fact, on behalf of Chief Forest Conservator Research Haldwani Sanjeev Chaturvedi, under the Right to Information Act, the Public Information Officer of the High Court had sought the rules applicable to judicial officers of courts subordinate to the High Court in Uttarakhand between 2020 to 2025, the number of complaints, disciplinary action taken on them and certified copies of related documents. The Public Information Officer had refused to provide information on the grounds that the complaints were sensitive and confidential.
It was also said that to provide information of confidential nature, it is necessary to obtain the permission of the Chief Justice. After which an appeal was made on behalf of Sanjeev to the State Information Commission. While giving the decision, the Commission said that the desired information is required. Merely saying that the information is confidential cannot be a ground for not providing the information.
The number of complaints and the disposal process are in public interest, the personal identity of any officer or judge will not be disclosed. Orders were passed by the Commission to give the information to the appellant Sanjeev within a month. It was made available to Sanjeev on February 11 by Commission's Public Information Officer and Joint Registrar HS Jeena.
This is a very good step by Uttarakhand High Court to bring transparency and accountability in the administration of justice. Its importance lies in the fact that while many other High Courts like Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Chennai have refused to share such information, Uttarakhand High Court has perhaps become the first High Court in the country to share such information. - Sudarshan Goyal, Advocate Appellant
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