Allahabad High Court Sends ADJ Dr. Amit Verma for Judicial Training Over Incompetent Order Writing
By Rajesh Pandey
Taking serious cognizance of a judicial officer’s inability to properly draft a judgment, the Allahabad High Court has directed that Dr. Amit Verma, an Additional District Judge (ADJ) of Kanpur Nagar, undergo three months of training at the Judicial Training and Research Institute (JTRI) in Lucknow.
The directive came from Justice Neeraj Tiwari while delivering his ruling on a writ petition filed by Munni Devi, a resident of Kanpur Nagar.
The petitioner had approached the High Court after her application seeking to introduce additional grounds in an ongoing tenancy dispute was summarily rejected by the ADJ without appropriate reasoning.
In her plea, Munni Devi contended that the Additional District Judge had dismissed her amendment application in an arbitrary and mechanical manner.
She argued that the impugned order lacked any application of judicial mind and merely recorded the arguments before dismissing the application in a brief, three-line order.
The petitioner further highlighted that the order did not contain any analysis, reasoning, or explanation as to why her application for amendment had been rejected.
Importantly, Munni Devi also pointed out that this was not the first instance of such judicial misconduct by Dr. Verma. She informed the High Court that on an earlier occasion too, Dr. Verma had issued an order without providing any reasons or application of mind, thereby violating fundamental principles of judicial discipline and responsibility.
After thoroughly examining the impugned order, Justice Neeraj Tiwari expressed grave concern over the quality of judicial reasoning exhibited by the ADJ.
In a sharply worded order dated April 22, the High Court observed, “This Court is of the firm view that Dr. Amit Verma, Additional District Judge, Kanpur Nagar, is not competent to write judgments as per the standards required of a judicial officer.
Therefore, he must undergo remedial training for a minimum period of three months at the Judicial Training and Research Institute, Lucknow.”
The High Court emphasized that judicial orders and judgments are required to reflect a clear application of mind, provide reasoned analysis, and demonstrate an understanding of the facts and law involved. Mechanical and cryptic orders not only erode public faith in the judiciary but also compromise the rights of litigants seeking justice.
By directing the ADJ for mandatory retraining, the Court underlined the necessity of continuous judicial education and accountability within the judiciary, especially at the district level, where judges often serve as the first point of contact for citizens seeking redressal of grievances.
The decision is being seen as a strong message to all members of the lower judiciary, reinforcing the principle that judges must not only dispense justice fairly but also articulate their decisions in a well-reasoned and legally sound manner.
