Published on: 14 Feb, 2026 18:05 IST
New Delhi, February 14, 2026 – The office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has received a staggering 8,630 complaints against sitting judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts over the past decade, from 2016 to 2025, according to official data presented in Parliament. This revelation underscores growing public scrutiny of judicial conduct, with complaints peaking in recent years amid calls for greater accountability.
In a written response to a starred question posed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Matheswaran V S during the Lok Sabha session on February 13, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal detailed the year-wise figures provided by the Supreme Court. The query specifically inquired about mechanisms for recording complaints related to corruption, sexual misconduct, or other serious impropriety against higher judiciary members, as well as actions taken.
8.6k complaints received against sitting judges in last 10 years: Govt | India News – The Times of India
The data reveals a 51% increase in complaints from 729 in 2016 to 1,102 in 2025, with a post-2020 surge attributed to various factors, including heightened public awareness and digital filing options. The highest number was recorded in 2024 at 1,170, during the tenures of former CJIs D Y Chandrachud and Sanjiv Khanna, while the lowest was in 2020 at 518, likely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 50% of all complaints were lodged in the last four years (2022–2025), indicating an upward trend.
Here’s a comprehensive year-wise breakdown of the complaints received by the CJI’s office:
| Year | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 729 |
| 2017 | 682 |
| 2018 | 717 |
| 2019 | 1,037 |
| 2020 | 518 |
| 2021 | 686 |
| 2022 | 1,012 |
| 2023 | 977 |
| 2024 | 1,170 |
| 2025 | 1,102 |
| Total | 8,630 |
*grok:render type=”render_inline_citation”> </grok:render> (Data sourced from Supreme Court records via the Ministry of Law and Justice.)
Minister Meghwal reiterated that judicial independence is a cornerstone of the Indian Constitution, and complaints are addressed through an internal “in-house procedure” established by the Supreme Court in 1997. This mechanism includes the “Restatement of Values of Judicial Life,” which outlines ethical standards for judges. Under it, the CJI handles grievances against Supreme Court judges and High Court Chief Justices, while High Court Chief Justices manage those against their respective judges.
Complaints submitted to the government, whether through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) or other channels, are forwarded to the relevant judicial authorities for remedial action. However, no specific details on the nature of these complaints—such as breakdowns by type (e.g., corruption or misconduct)—or the outcomes of investigations were disclosed, as these remain confidential within the judiciary’s purview.
The government clarified that it does not propose issuing new guidelines for recording or monitoring such complaints, emphasizing the judiciary’s autonomy. Critics, including some parliamentarians and legal experts, have called for greater transparency in the in-house process, arguing that public interest demands accountability without compromising judicial independence.