17th judge recuses from hearing Sanjiv Chaturvedi's case
Justice Rajveer Singh Verma becomes the 17th judge to recuse from hearing Uttarakhand IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi's petition.
In a striking legal development, Justice Rajveer Singh Verma of the Delhi Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has stepped away from hearing a petition filed by Uttarakhand cadre IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi. This latest move marks the 17th time a member of the judiciary has recused themselves from a matter involving the officer.
The petition filed by Chaturvedi challenges a November 2021 order issued by the Uttarakhand government concerning the Appraisal Report Channel for IFS officers. According to a recusal order passed on September 21, Justice Verma stated, "After hearing the matter for some time, Hon’ble Mr Rajveer Singh Verma, Member (J), recuses himself from hearing this matter." Notably, the order provided no specific explanation for the decision to step down.
A staggering pattern of recusals
The number of judicial officers stepping down from cases involving Chaturvedi has reached an unprecedented tally. According to details shared by the officer, the list of those who have recused themselves includes:
- Two judges from the Supreme Court of India.
- Four judges from the Nainital High Court.
- Nine judges from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), including its Chairman.
- Two judges from the district judiciary.
This trend has spanned various legal battles, from corruption probes to administrative disputes and defamation suits.
High Court and CAT history of recusals
The recusal pattern is evident across multiple levels of the Indian judiciary. In the Nainital High Court, Justice Alok Verma and Justice Ravindra Maithani recused themselves in late 2025 during a contempt case involving CAT members. Other notable High Court recusals include Justice Manoj Tiwari in February 2024 regarding cabinet documents, and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal in May 2023 regarding anti-corruption investigations during Chaturvedi's time at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Within the CAT, a Division Bench consisting of Justice Harvinder Oberai and B Anand recused themselves in February 2025 regarding the downgrading of an appraisal report. Additionally, ACJM Neha Kushwaha recused herself from a defamation case in April 2025, citing family connections to another judge.
Long-standing judicial pattern
The history of recusals in Chaturvedi's cases dates back over a decade. In the Supreme Court, Justice Ranjan Gogoi recused himself in November 2013 regarding a petition for a CBI probe into Haryana corruption cases, followed by Justice U. U. Lalit in August 2016.
Other significant instances include:
- March 2019: CAT Chairman Justice L Narasimhan Reddy.
- February 2021: CAT judge Justice R N Singh.
- November 2023: CAT judges Justice Manish Garg and Chchabilendra Roul.
- January 2025: CAT judge Justice Rajeev Joshi.