HC moots cell to probe judicial officers’ conduct

BY V L SRINIVASAN

Published on April 17, 2007

Hyderabad: In a bid to keep a tab on the judicial officers in the State, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has decided to constitute an ‘‘Enquiry Cell’’ which would conduct departmental inquiries against the charged officials under its control.

The decision to set up the Cell, said to be first of its kind in the country, was taken as the higher-ups were receiving numerous complaints of varied nature resulting in initiation of disciplinary proceedings against them, if necessary by placing them under suspension, in public interest.

Establishing the Enquiry Cell was also one of the recommendations made in the recent All-India Chief Justices’ Conference to strengthen the already existing Vigilance Cell in the High Court.

There are some dozen inquiries reportedly pending against the judicial officers who are working as senior civil judges or junior civil judges in the State at present.

To be headed by an officer of the rank of district judge to conduct the inquiries against senior civil judges and junior civil judges, the Cell would start functioning once the State Government gives its nod.

Besides the district judge, an officer of the rank of senior civil judge or junior civil judge will present the case on behalf of Department. The other officials who would work in the Cell include two each section officers, deputy section officers and assistant section officers, four assistants and other supporting staff.

According to official sources, whenever any regular departmental inquiry is ordered against any Senior Civil Judge or Junior Civil Judge, the district judge of that particular district, if he is not a reporting officer, or a neighbouring district judge is being appointed as inquiry officer to conduct the said inquiry against the charged officer.

However, there have been inordinate delays in completing the inquiries by the district judges or additional district judges who are appointed as inquiry officers as they being Judicial Officers, their priority is to dispose of judicial proceedings. ‘‘Due to this, the charged officers, who are under suspension continued to be under suspension till the inquiries ordered against them are completed,’’ sources told ‘Express’.

Further, it is well nigh impossible for a district judge or additional district judge to devote his complete time in conducting the inquiries because the judicial work will be hampered.

In view of this, the authorities felt that this ‘‘conspicuous handicap can easily be surmounted’’ if an Enquiry Cell is created to facilitate the High Court to entrust all the enquiries to it for conducting departmental probes against the judicial officers, which not only expedites the process but also avoid prolonged continuance of the charged officials under suspension.