What happened
A dispute alleging interference with judicial functioning by a senior IAS officer/Commissioner in Uttar Pradesh intensified after the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench took serious exception. The dispute involves a Gonda civil judge who alleged that she received repeated phone calls while on leave on 15 July.
The Gonda civil judge alleged that the phone calls came from contacts linked to the Devipatan Division Commissioner’s office, Gonda. The civil judge stated that the calls tried to find out when she would return to hearing a long-pending land dispute and that the calls and their tone amounted to interference with judicial work.
The Allahabad High Court observed that alleged pressure could prima facie undermine judicial independence and obstruct administration of justice. The senior IAS officer/Commissioner involved denied attempting to discuss the merits of any case. The officer/Commissioner stated that she sought only to know when the civil judge would resume hearings.
The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench directed that the matter be placed before the appropriate Bench dealing with criminal contempt, and the court noted that the tone of communication indicated pressure.
An activist, Amitabh Thakur, stated that he demanded an independent inquiry, transfer of the IAS officer/Commissioner, and clear protocols on how officials should contact judicial officers regarding pending cases.
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