Rajasthan HC Acting CJ Sanjeev Prakash Sharma Goes On Leave Amid Lawyers’ Protest

The Rajasthan High Court’s Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has gone on leave for three days amid protests by lawyers demanding that he be relieved of the charge and that a permanent Chief Justice be appointed to the High Court.

As per the newly updated roster for the Jaipur Bench, Justice Sharma will not hold judicial sittings from September 1 to September 5. The development comes after lawyers at the Jaipur and Jodhpur Benches protested against his continuation as Acting Chief Justice, with advocates demanding that he be removed from both judicial and administrative responsibilities.

The protests have emerged amid a controversy triggered by recent letters written by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. Justice Mehta has raised serious allegations concerning the administration of the Rajasthan High Court under Justice Sharma, including alleged favouritism, misuse of administrative powers and concerns relating to case listings.

Justice Mehta has also urged the CJI to appoint a permanent Chief Justice from another High Court to head the Rajasthan High Court. The allegations have not been adjudicated, and Justice Sharma has not been held guilty of any wrongdoing.

Taking note of the letter by Justice Mehta, CJI Surya Kant recently said that he has already taken note of the concerns raised in Justice Mehta’s letters and that the matter is being dealt with through the established institutional mechanism.

The CJI stressed that allegations against a sitting judge cannot be determined through public exchanges or competing claims in the media.

He said the contents of the letters “cannot be adjudicated in the public domain” and that Justice Sharma must have a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached.

The CJI further made clear: “The fact that allegations have been made, therefore, cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge.”

Background

Justice Sharma was appointed a Rajasthan High Court judge in November 2016, transferred to Patna High Court in 2022 and later to Punjab and Haryana High Court, before returning to Rajasthan as Acting Chief Justice under a May 2025 Collegium resolution, a post he has held over ten months.

Justice Mehta, who wrote to the CJI on August 2, 10 and 17, claimed several judges had conveyed anguish over Justice Sharma's conduct, alleging that he threatened colleagues with retaliatory transfers while citing proximity to the CJI.

His letters also flagged appeals over valuable Udaipur land listed before a Jaipur bench headed by Justice Sharma, despite his own earlier ruling that principal-seat matters could not move from Jodhpur to Jaipur. He cited a complaint by Justice Uma Shankar Vyas alleging vindictive conduct towards his wife, a senior judicial officer, and a delayed inauguration of a new Jodhpur court building, calling it an unpardonable loss.

Justice Mehta also cited a complaint by Advocate Pooja Tripathi to Justice Vikram Nath, alleging Justice Sharma secured permanent Lok Adalat appointments in Jaipur and Ajmer for close associates, including a childhood friend and spouses of two district judges, and recommended four women advocates for elevation despite their not being in active practice.