Context: The Union Law Minister informed the Lok Sabha that the office of the Chief Justice of India received 8,630 complaints against sitting judges between 2016 and 2025.
About Complaints Against Judges in India:
What it is?
- Complaints against judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts relate to allegations of corruption, sexual misconduct, abuse of authority, or serious impropriety.
Key Data & Facts (2016–2025):
- Total Complaints: 8,630 complaints received by the CJI’s office.
- Year-wise Trends:
- Mechanism: Complaints can also be routed through CPGRAMS and are forwarded to the CJI or respective High Court Chief Justices.
- Legal Framework: Removal of judges is governed by Articles 124(4) and 217 of the Constitution and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, requiring a special majority in Parliament.
Significance:
- Judicial Accountability: Rising complaints highlight the importance of maintaining public trust in the higher judiciary.
- Transparency Gap: Lack of publicly available data on action taken fuels concerns over opacity in the in-house procedure.
- Institutional Credibility: Ensuring ethical conduct is central to upholding judicial independence and rule of law.
Relevance in UPSC Examination
- GS Paper II – Polity & Governance
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- Judiciary: Structure, appointment, removal, and accountability of judges.
- Separation of powers and checks and balances.
- Transparency and reforms in judicial institutions.
- GS Paper IV – Ethics
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- Integrity in public office.
- Institutional ethics and public trust.
- Accountability vs independence dilemma.
