Facing protests by lawyers, Rajasthan Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has gone on leave. As per the updated roster for Jaipur bench, the Acting CJ will not be holding any sitting from September 1 to September 5.

As per the roster on August 24 by the acting CJ for the Jaipur Bench from August 31, he had listed PIL matters, Special Appeals, all Income Tax Matters including Income Tax appeals, contempt matters, all matters filed by or against High Court as well as Civil Writ Petitions (not assigned to Division Bench 2 and 3) under a division bench which included him and Justice Sangeeta Sharma.

Additionally, arbitration matters (on Friday from 2 pm to 4.30 pm) were listed in his name.

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However, as lawyer associations escalated their protest on Monday, the acting CJ altered the roster. As per the fresh roster on Monday, a Division Bench of Justice Inderjeet Singh and Justice Sandeep Taneja has been tasked with all the matters which were previously with the DB of acting CJ and Justice Sangeeta Sharma, excluding the arbitration matters.

Additionally, arbitration matters (on Friday from 2 pm to 4.30 pm) were listed in his name.

However, as lawyer associations escalated their protest on Monday, the acting CJ altered the roster, excluding himself from the cases. As per the fresh roster on Monday, a Division Bench of Justice Inderjeet Singh and Justice Sandeep Taneja has been tasked with all the matters which were previously with the DB of acting CJ and Justice Sangeeta Sharma, excluding the arbitration matters.

The development comes days after letters by Supreme Court Justice Sandeep Mehta to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant earlier this month became public.

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In his letters sent to the CJI — on August 2, August 10 and August 17 — and copied to other members of the Supreme Court Collegium, Justice Mehta accused Justice Sharma of “misuse of powers” and said he had received “several complaints”, which “raise doubts” on the Acting CJ’s “integrity”. Based on this, Justice Mehta also sought transfer of the acting CJ to another High Court and the appointment of a new Chief Justice.