Chief Justice seeks report as Uttar Pradesh judge's allegations of sexual harassment at work go viral
PTC Web Desk: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has requested a status report from the administration of the Allahabad High Court following the circulation of an open letter on social media, purportedly written by a woman judge in Uttar Pradesh's Banda. The letter alleges misconduct, including claims of sexual harassment, by a senior district judge during her tenure in Barabanki.
In the letter addressed to the Chief Justice, the woman expressed a desire to end her life, citing the distress caused by the alleged sexual harassment. She highlighted feeling disrespected and mentioned facing uncomfortable demands from the district judge, leading her to file a complaint with the High Court's Internal Complaints Committee in July 2023. However, she expressed dissatisfaction with the subsequent inquiry, describing it as "inadequate".
The judge pointed out concerns regarding the impartiality of the inquiry due to the relationship between the witnesses and the accused district judge. She mentioned about her earlier plea for the judge's transfer during the ongoing investigation, which was declined by the Supreme Court within a short period, leaving her feeling despondent and expressing a lack of purpose in her life.
Following the widespread circulation of the letter, the Secretary General of the Supreme Court, Atul M Kurhekar, acting on the Chief Justice's directives, contacted the registrar general of the Allahabad High Court seeking an update on the proceedings. Subsequently, it was reported that the acting Chief Justice of the High Court has also acknowledged the situation and is taking action.
- With inputs from agencies
