SC bars Allahabad HC judge from hearing criminal cases
The Supreme Court has stopped Justice Prashant Kumar of the Allahabad High Court from handling any criminal cases until he retires.
This unusual step came after the Supreme Court called one of his recent orders "one of the worst and most erroneous," saying he allowed criminal charges in a case that was actually just a business dispute.
Controversy ignites as judges push back
This move has sparked major pushback from other judges and legal experts, who say only the High Court's Chief Justice should decide what cases judges hear.
Thirteen Allahabad High Court judges have asked for a meeting to challenge the order, and some legal voices warn this could threaten judicial independence.
As Vikas Singh from the Supreme Court Bar Association put it, making such a call without even a hearing feels "worse than impeachment."
The debate isn't over—the Supreme Court will review its decision again soon.