The Supreme Court recalled two contentious directions issued in its August 4 order against a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, acting on a formal request from the Chief Justice of India (CJI). A Bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan acknowledged the CJI’s communication and announced the deletion of paragraphs 25 and 26 of the earlier order “in deference” to the request.
The now-deleted directions had restrained the judge from handling criminal matters and directed the Chief Justice of the High Court to assign him to a Division Bench alongside a senior colleague. Clarifying the context, the Supreme Court said these instructions stemmed from persistent concerns over judicial conduct.
Justice Pardiwala emphasized that the Court’s intention was never to cause embarrassment or question the integrity of the individual judge, but to uphold the institutional dignity of the judiciary.
While withdrawing the directions, the Court reaffirmed its confidence in the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and clarified that it had no intention to interfere with the administrative prerogatives of the High Court.