The Supreme Court recently witnessed unusual friction after a series of orders passed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala created controversy within the top court. In the past month, three key cases under his bench drew such sharp criticism that Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai had to intervene.
The first case involved the Allahabad High Court. Justice Pardiwala had strongly criticized Justice Prashant Kumar for permitting criminal proceedings in a civil dispute, terming it a grave error. He even directed that Justice Kumar should not be assigned any criminal cases until retirement. Several senior judges objected to this move, prompting the CJI to step in. On 8 August, Justice Pardiwala withdrew his remarks, clarifying that his intention was neither to insult nor to defame.
The second controversy came from his order on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR. Highlighting the rise in dog attacks and rabies cases, his bench directed that all stray dogs be permanently kept in shelter homes. This order drew heavy opposition from animal welfare groups and dog lovers, who called it excessively harsh. Following the backlash, CJI Gavai reassigned the matter to a bench led by Justice Vikram Nath. On 22 August, the new bench modified the order, ruling that dogs should undergo sterilization, vaccination, and deworming before being released back.
The third case related to environmental imbalance in Himachal Pradesh. On 28 July, Justice Pardiwala along with Justice R. Mahadevan warned that the state could disappear from the map if immediate steps were not taken. The bench criticized both state and central governments for prioritizing revenue over ecology. This case too was transferred to Justice Vikram Nath’s bench for further hearing.
These developments reflect how Justice Pardiwala’s sharp interventions triggered debates within the Supreme Court, ultimately requiring the CJI’s direct involvement to restore balance.
