Representative image showing judge gavel
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New Delhi: In a very unusual development, as many as 15 judges have recused from hearing cases related to Uttarakhand Cadre IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.
A senior judge of Uttarakhand High Court, Justice Ravindra Maithani is the latest to have recused from hearing of a contempt case filed by Chaturvedi against CAT Members and registry, for "wilful disobedience of its stay order".
The development has come as a record of sorts in judicial history of country as never have so many judges recused from hearing of case of a particular person.
The order passed by Justice Maithani on September 26 read as, ''List before another Bench of which I (Ravindra Maithani, J.) am is not a member''.
Notably, the order does not mention any reason for recusal.
Justice Maithani is third judge of Uttarakhand High Court to recuse from hearing Chaturvedi's case, before him Justice Rakesh Thapliyal had opted out from hearing Chaturvedi's case related to appraisal report in May 2023 and Justice Manoj Tiwari, in his central deputation case in February 2024.
None of three judges mentioned any reasons in recusal order.
This is the fourth judicial recusal, this year in Chaturvedi's case, with two CAT judges- Harvinder Oberai and B Anand, recusing in February 2025 and ACJM Neha Kushwaha withdrawing from hearing the matter in April 2025.
So far, two Supreme Court judges-Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice UU Lalit, three high Court judges, two lower court judges and eight CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) Judges including a Chairman, CAT, have recused from hearing cases of Chaturvedi.
This year, in April 2025, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Kushwaha, had recused from hearing a defamation case filed by Chaturvedi against CAT judge Manish Garg, citing her 'previous family relations ' with another CAT judge D S Mahra.
In February 2025, a division bench of CAT consisting of Harvinder Oberai and B Anand had recused themselves, without citing any reason, by simply directing Registry not to list cases of Chaturvedi before them in future. The bench was hearing a case related to appraisal report of Chaturvedi.
In February 2024, Justice Manoj Tiwari of Uttarakhand High Court, had recused himself from hearing his cases while hearing a matter related to deputation of the officer. Again the recusal order did not mention any ground.
Earlier, in year 2018, in a similar matter, Uttarakhand High Court had passed orders that service matters of officer to be heard at Nainital Circuit Bench only and had imposed a cost of Rs 25000 on central government which was upheld by the apex court.
In year 2021 again, Uttarakhand High Court repeated its earlier position which was again challenged by central government before apex court.
In March 2023, a division bench in the apex court had referred matter to a larger bench.
Earlier, in November 2013, then Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjan Gogoi, retired as CJI, had recused himself from hearing a case filed by Chaturvedi demanding CBI investigation into the role of then Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupender Singh Hooda and other senior politicians, bureaucrats of state into various corruption cases exposed by him as well as his harassment.
Later on, in August 2016, the then Supreme Court Judge UU Lalit had also recused from hearing of this case.
In April 2018, a Shimla court judge had recused himself from hearing of a defamation case filed by Vineet Chowdhary, then Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh against Chaturvedi.
In March 2019, the then Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal Delhi, Justice L Narasimhan Reddy, had recused himself from hearing cases related to various transfer petitions of Chaturvedi, citing certain ‘unfortunate developments’.
In February 2021, another judge of CAT Delhi, Justice R N Singh also recused himself from hearing a service matter case of Chaturvedi.
In May 2023, Justice Rakesh Thapliyal of Uttarakhand High Court had recused himself from hearing cases of Chaturvedi, without mentioning any reason.
In November 2023, a Bench of CAT Judges consisting of Mr Manish Garg and C Roul had also recused from hearing his cases.
This year, in January, another CAT Judge, Justice Rajeev Joshi, had also recused from his service matter.