RAIPUR: Akanksha Bhardwaj, a 34-year-old civil judge appointed in December 2013, successfully challenged her termination in the Chhattisgarh High Court and has now resumed her duties at the Mahasamund District Court.While serving as a Civil Judge in Ambikapur, Bhardwaj lodged a complaint against her senior colleague, alleging inappropriate behavior during her visits to seek guidance on judicial matters. Initially, the complaint was filed orally and later submitted in writing to higher authorities, the complaint led the High Court to form an internal complaints committee. However, the committee’s report, submitted in April 2016, concluded that the allegations were unsubstantiated.Following the committee’s findings, the Standing Committee under the Chhattisgarh High Court rules recommended Bhardwaj’s termination in February 2017. The termination order was challenged by Bhardwaj, who filed a writ petition and represented herself in court as a lawyer. She argued that her dismissal violated the safeguards provided under Article 311 of the Constitution, which protects civil servants from arbitrary dismissal, removal, or demotion.In an earlier ruling, the High Court had set aside Bhardwaj’s termination on technical grounds, stating that the Standing Committee was not competent to recommend the termination of her service. The court noted that Bhardwaj had remained on probation until January 31, 2017. However, her further claims that the termination was the result of biased proceedings initiated by the then Ambikapur District Judge, combined with the internal complaints committee’s report, were dismissed by the court.After overturning her termination, Bhardwaj received a fresh posting order and has resumed her role in the judiciary at the Mahasamund District Court.
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