'Inquiry into NCLAT judge case must be handled solely by CJI'

The Supreme Court on Friday made it clear that any inquiry into the sensational revelation made in August by a judicial member of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) —that a judge “of a high constitutional court” telephoned him multiple times in connection with a pending appeal — must be handled exclusively by the Chief Justice of India on the administrative side.

- Utkarsh Anand

While acknowledging that the episode raised issues of “vital public importance”, a bench of justices Surya Kant and Joy-’malya Bagchi said that it would be inappropriate for the court to entertain the matter judicially.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by M/s AS Met Corp Pvt Ltd, a party in the insolvency appeal where the NCLAT member, justice Sharad Kumar Sharma, had abruptly recused himself in August after disclosing the alleged phone calls.