GPF Accounts Of 7 Patna HC Judges Closed?Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response

The Supreme Court on Friday heard a plea filed by seven judges of the Patna High Court claiming that their General Provident Fund accounts have been closed. The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala. 

The bench requested for a response from the Central government on the matter and issued a notice while also noting that the Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj was looking into the matter. The ASG has been asked to update the court on the status of the case at the next hearing.

The counsel for the petitioners had informed the court that the GPF accounts of the judges had been stopped. When asked about the petitioner and the stopped accounts, the lawyer had informed the court that the petitioners were seven judges of the Patna High Court. The plea was filed by seven Patna High Court judges -- justices Shailendra Singh, Arun Kumar Jha, Jitendra Kumar, Alok Kumar, Sunil Dutta Mishra, Chandra Prakash Singh and Chandra Shekhar Jha.

On February 21, when the matter was mentioned for urgent listing, CJI DY Chandrachud had expressed surprise: 

"What? GPF (General Provident Fund) accounts of judges stopped?”

Case Title: Justice Shailendra Singh And Ors. v. UoI And Ors. WP(C) No. 232/2023

Click Here To Read/Download Order