Lawyers' Strike at Rajasthan High Court

Lawyers' associations at the Rajasthan High Court have declared a complete strike until Sunday, September 6, demanding that Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma be relieved of his judicial and administrative responsibilities. The decision was announced on Monday (August 31, 2026) following protests by advocates at both benches of the High Court.

Association President Dilip Singh Udawat announced the decision after a general house meeting. "In our emergency meeting, we all concurred that what is happening is against the sanctity of justice and we must raise our voices. So we have decided to go on strike until Sunday. Until then, we will send representations to the Chief Justice of India and the President," Udawat said.

The High Court Advocates' Association and the High Court Lawyers' Association in Jodhpur announced after an emergency meeting that lawyers would boycott work till September 6 to protect the "dignity and independence" of the judiciary and maintain public confidence in the justice delivery system. The two lawyers' bodies pressed a three-point charter of demands, which in addition to keeping the Acting Chief Justice away from duties, sought the appointment of a permanent Chief Justice and immediate discontinuation of the "targeted file system".

Udawat said a struggle committee of lawyers had been formed to decide the future course of action.

Protests and Slogans

A section of lawyers at the High Court's Bench in Jaipur sat in protest outside Justice Sharma's court and raised slogans. Videos circulated on social media showed advocates sitting in the corridors of the High Court and raising slogans against Justice Sharma. Among the slogans raised was, "Gali gali mein shor hai, humara mukhiya chor hai" (The word on the street is that our chief is a thief). At the Jaipur premises, police were called in to disperse the protesting lawyers, as several lawyers could not enter the courtroom during the agitation.

The High Court Bar Association in Jaipur decided to send a "strongly worded" memorandum to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, raising the issues mentioned in Justice Mehta's letters. Association president Rajeev Sogarwal said they would request the CJI to complete the inquiry in a fixed timeframe and make the findings public.

Allegations by Justice Mehta

The protests follow recent letters sent by Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, accusing Justice Sharma of misusing his administrative powers and manipulating case listings. Justice Mehta also urged the CJI to appoint a Chief Justice from another High Court to head the Rajasthan High Court "with immediate effect".

In one of his letters, Justice Mehta wrote: "There are innumerable instances of Mr. Justice Sharma, exercising powers as the Acting Chief Justice in a manner unbecoming of the leader of the institution... I have received several complaints about the ju..." (the text cuts off).

Justice Mehta alleged "misuse of powers, favouritism, nepotism, and administrative lapses" and sought Justice Sharma's transfer. He also questioned Justice Sharma's repatriation to the Rajasthan High Court in May 2026 and noted that he had been Acting Chief Justice for 10 months. Justice Mehta referred to a March 2026 Collegium recommendation that declined Justice Sharma's repatriation and proposed his transfer to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Chief Justice of India's Response

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that allegations against a sitting judge must be examined through an established mechanism. He said the contents of the letters could not be adjudicated in the public domain, and no conclusion could be reached without giving Justice Sharma an opportunity to be heard. The CJI also noted that the allegations entered the public domain through media reports.

The allegations remain unproven and are yet to be examined through the established process.