Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta has urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to appoint a Chief Justice from another State to head the Rajasthan High Court “with immediate effect”, citing what he described as serious concerns over the functioning of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.
Justice Mehta made the request in letters dated August 2, August 10 and August 17, 2026, (Source:- Bar & Bench). According to the report, the letters allege manipulation of case listings and misuse of administrative powers by Justice Sharma ahead of his retirement.
In his August 2 letter, Justice Mehta reportedly stated that several judges of the Rajasthan High Court had expressed concerns to him regarding Justice Sharma's conduct. The letter alleges that judges were threatened with adverse administrative action, including transfer.
Justice Mehta also referred to a recent observation by a Supreme Court Bench headed by CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi concerning judges passing orders for extraneous considerations close to retirement. He reportedly applied the expression “hit sixes” to the functioning of Justice Sharma as Acting Chief Justice.
The letters reportedly cite two Division Bench orders involving land disputes concerning properties in Udaipur. Justice Mehta questioned why the matters were listed before Justice Sharma's bench at the Jaipur seat despite an earlier judgment by Justice Sharma holding that matters pertaining to the principal seat at Jodhpur could not be moved to Jaipur.
Justice Mehta's August 17 letter also reportedly refers to a complaint allegedly made by Rajasthan High Court Judge Justice Uma Shankar Vyas concerning the conduct of Justice Sharma towards his wife, a senior officer in the district judiciary.
According to the report, the letter alleges that Justice Sharma delayed the inauguration of a new court building at Jodhpur, which Justice Mehta described as causing serious institutional harm.
The letters also refer to a separate complaint by advocate Pooja Tripathi, addressed to Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath and copied to several others.
According to the complaint as reported by Bar & Bench, allegations were made that Justice Sharma used his position to secure permanent Lok Adalat appointments in Jaipur and Ajmer for persons allegedly close to him, including a childhood friend and spouses of two district judges.
The complaint further alleged that four women advocates had been recommended for elevation to the Rajasthan High Court despite claims that they were not actively practising. These remain allegations contained in the complaint and have not been established by a judicial finding.
Justice Mehta's letters reportedly express concern over efforts to confirm Justice Sharma as the permanent Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court despite what Justice Mehta characterised as serious evidence against him.
He has therefore urged the Collegium to transfer Justice Sharma out of Rajasthan and appoint a Chief Justice from another State.
Justice Sharma is currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, as also reflected in the High Court's official judicial directory.
Justice Sandeep Mehta himself served as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court before being appointed Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and subsequently elevated to the Supreme Court in November 2023.
It is important to note that the allegations concerning Justice Sharma are allegations contained in Justice Mehta's letters and a separate complaint, and do not by themselves constitute findings of misconduct by any court.
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