16th judge, 2nd in 2 weeks, exits Chaturvedi case

DEHRADUN: In what is being termed an unprecedented series of recusals, another judge has decided to withdraw from a case involving Uttarakhand-cadre Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi . Justice Alok Verma of the Uttarakhand high court became the 16th judge to recuse from Chaturvedi’s case, and the second one within a fortnight. Verma’s recusal order, dated Oct 8, simply stated, “List before another bench,” without assigning any reason continuing a pattern seen in previous recusals in Chaturvedi’s matters.

Denial of justice , says lawyer on repeated recusals

Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s counsel, Sudershan Goel, termed the repeated recusals “a denial of justice” and an infringement of his client’s constitutional right. “Judges usually recuse themselves when they have previously represented a party, share a familial relation, or have a financial association. Any other or non-reasoned recusal amounts to impropriety and betrayal of the constitutional oath of office,” he said.

Verma’s withdrawal comes 12 days after Justice Ravindra Maithani of Uttarakhand HC similarly recused himself from hearing one of Chaturvedi’s cases. The present matter involves a contempt petition filed by Chaturvedi against CAT members and the registry for alleged wilful disobedience of a stay order.

Advocate Goel said this sets a record in the judicial history of the country, as never before have so many judges recused from hearing cases of a particular person.