More than 8,600 complaints have been received against sitting judges of the higher judiciary since 2016, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
In a written reply to the House, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that a total of 8,639 complaints were filed against sitting judges between 2016 and 2025. The highest number of complaints — 1,170 — was recorded in 2024 by the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
He explained that complaints against judges and chief justices of the high courts are addressed internally by the judiciary through an established “in-house mechanism,” designed to maintain judicial accountability and uphold ethical standards.
The minister recalled that in May 1997, the Supreme Court of India adopted two key resolutions — The Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, which outlines standards and principles to be followed by Supreme Court and High Court judges, and the In-house Procedure, which provides for corrective measures against judges who fail to adhere to these norms.
Under the existing procedure, the Chief Justice of India is empowered to receive complaints against Supreme Court judges and chief justices of high courts. Similarly, chief justices of high courts are authorized to examine complaints regarding the conduct of judges serving in their respective courts.
Meghwal further stated that complaints received through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) or through other channels are forwarded to the CJI or the concerned high court chief justices for appropriate action.
The government reiterated that the in-house system ensures due process while preserving the independence of the judiciary.
