Shreya Gupta
On 23rd July 2025, in a landmark judgment, the Madhya Pradesh High Court delivered a scathing critique of the hierarchical and oppressive relationship between the High Court and the District Judiciary. It likened this relationship to that of a “feudal lord and serf.“
The case involved a writ petition filed by a former judicial officer, a Special Judge under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, whose services were terminated in 2015 after nearly 28 years of judicial service. The termination was based on a bail order he passed in a case linked to the infamous VYAPAM Scam. The administrative side of the High Court had accused the officer of misconduct for granting anticipatory bail to some accused while denying it to others in the same case.
However, the High Court, in its judgment, found that there was no actual complaint from any aggrieved party, nor was there any challenge to the bail orders by the prosecution. Further, only one of the four charges against the judge alleged any corrupt motive, and the rest pertained merely to differences in judicial approach.
The Division Bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal severely condemned the inquiry process, noting that the officer’s detailed replies were disregarded, and no substantial evidence of wrongdoing or corruption was presented. The Court held that differing judicial interpretations, especially in bail matters, without evidence of mala fide intent or corruption, cannot be grounds for disciplinary action. Referring to precedents such as Krishna Prasad Verma v. State of Bihar (2019)10 SCC 640, Abhay Jain v. High Court of Rajasthan (2022)13 SCC 1, and Roop Singh Alawa v. State of MP (W.P. No.18931/2017), the bench reaffirmed that judicial errors made in good faith do not amount to misconduct.
More significantly, the Court took this opportunity to highlight the systemic and psychological subjugation faced by judges in the District Judiciary. The bench observed that High Court judges often treat their lower court counterparts with disdain and superiority, reducing them to mere subordinates rather than judicial equals within a constitutionally equal framework.
This includes humiliating practices such as denying them seats, expecting them to attend personally at railway platforms, and fostering an atmosphere of fear and inferiority. The judges went so far as to draw a parallel with the caste system, calling High Court judges the “savarnas” and the District Judges the “shudras”, referring to them as the “les Misérables” of the judicial structure. This, they argued, has created a psychologically emaciated lower judiciary that fears losing jobs and reputation for delivering independent decisions. Such fear, the Court said, leads to judicial conservatism where deserving bail is denied and convictions are handed down without evidence, solely to stay safe in their careers.
Given these circumstances, the High Court not only quashed the termination order but also restored the petitioner’s pensionary benefits. Furthermore, the Court directed that the judicial officer be paid full back wages with 7% interest from the date of termination to the date of superannuation. A cost of ₹5 lakhs was also imposed on the respondents for the humiliation and suffering endured by the petitioner. This amount was to be shared among the responsible authorities.
The judgment reflects a deep concern over the unhealthy power dynamics within the judiciary and emphasised that the strength of the judicial system lies in the independence and fearlessness of its lowest tier, the District Judiciary. The ruling stands as a rare and powerful assertion of intra-judiciary accountability, aimed at restoring dignity and autonomy to the trial courts and ensuring true justice is served from the bottom up.
Case Title: Jagat Mohan Chaturvedi v. The State of Madhya Pradesh & Ors.
Bench: Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal
Case Number: WRIT PETITION No. 15070 of 2016
Click here to access the order
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