SC rejects Allahabad HC plea to expunge remarks

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday stuck to its earlier remarks on the working of the Allahabad High Court that it needed cleansing from “uncle judges syndrome.”

Rejecting the Allahabad High Court’s plea to expunge the words, the apex court bench comprising justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra said that there were “excellent and good judges too” in the court.

They said that ” it is not a time to react but to introspect and not all judges are bad, there are good judges also.”

The lower court had moved the application that sought expunction of the Supreme Court’s remarks ” something is rotten’ .

The application was listed for hearing before the same bench that had made the comment.

On Nov 26, the judges- Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra- had said,” something is rotten in the State of Denmark, said Shakespeare in Hamlet, and it can similarly be said that something is rotten in the Allahabad High Court.”

The bench also asked the Chief Justice of the High Court to take some strong measures, including recommending “transfers of the incorrigibles”.

It made the observation in a 12-page order, while making the insinuation that several judges of the High Court suffer from ‘uncle judge’ syndrome, which refers to judges passing favourable orders for parties represented by lawyers known to them.

Referring to the rampant ‘uncle judge’ syndrome allegedly plaguing the High Court, the apex court bench said, “Some judges have their kith and kin practising in the same court.