The Union Law Ministry informed the Lok Sabha that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) received 8,630 complaints against sitting judges over the last ten years.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question, the Ministry clarified how authorities handle such complaints. It stated that the Supreme Court’s “in-house procedure,” adopted in 1999, governs the examination of allegations against judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The Ministry explained that the in-house process remains confidential. Therefore, authorities do not disclose details about action taken on individual complaints.
The reply also reiterated the constitutional framework for removal of judges. Articles 124(4) and 217 of the Constitution of India, read with the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, govern this process. Under these provisions, Parliament can remove a judge only through impeachment.
The Ministry furnished the data in response to a question seeking information on complaints received against sitting judges during the past decade.
