SC orders probe into UP trial judge

Expressing displeasure over a trial court's repeated failure to submit the report sought by it, the Supreme Court has directed the registrar general of the Allahabad High Court to initiate a preliminary inquiry against the concerned judicial officer.

The apex court said the trial court had failed to submit the report before it on three occasions.

A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar noted that in February 2020, the top court had directed the trial court to conclude within one year the proceedings in a suit seeking eviction of the respondents before it from a property.

It said in January this year, the apex court had observed that despite its February 2020 order, the trial was yet to be concluded.

The bench had summoned a report from the trial court, which was not sent on February 12 or in March.

It said that in March this year, the Registrar General of the High Court was directed to apprise the trial court of sending the report immediately. "It was only thereafter that a report was sent by the trial court, and on May 12, 2026, we directed that the trial be completed within the next six months and the trial court shall submit its first status report on or before August 21, 2026," the bench noted in its August 24 order.

It said no report from the trial court was received by it.

"This is the third occasion where the concerned trial court has failed to submit a report as sought by this court," the bench said.

"In the aforesaid circumstances, the registrar general of the Allahabad High Court is directed to initiate a preliminary inquiry against the concerned judicial officer and send a report to this court within 15 days," the bench said.

While posting the matter for September 21, the bench said that based on the preliminary report, it would consider initiation of a departmental inquiry against the concerned judicial officer. The apex court had passed the February 2020 order while hearing a petition challenging an April 2013 order of the Allahabad High Court. It had then noted that a suit filed in 2014 by the petitioners before it seeking eviction of the respondents from the property in question was pending.

"Since the said suit was filed in the year 2014, we direct the trial court to take up the matter immediately. The issues may be framed and proceedings be concluded as early as possible and preferably within a year from today," the top court had said in its February 2020 order.