The bench expressed its anguish over the same and directed that the matter be placed before the NCLAT chairperson for nomination of another bench to hear the case.
Published Aug 26, 2025 | 1:16 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 26, 2025 | 1:33 PM
Indian judiciary. (iStock)
Synopsis: NCLAT Chennai Judicial Member Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma recused himself from a case after one of his colleagues was approached by a member of the higher judiciary seeking an order in favour of a particular party.
National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Chennai Judicial Member Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma recused himself from a case after one of his colleagues was approached by a member of the higher judiciary seeking an order in favour of a particular party.
The bench, also comprising Member (Technical) Jatindranath Swain, expressed its anguish over the same and directed that the matter be placed before the NCLAT chairperson for nomination of another bench to hear the case.
“We are anguished to observe, that one of us, Member (Judicial), has been approached by one of the most revered members of the higher judiciary of this country for seeking an order in favour of a particular party. Hence, I recuse to hear the matter,” he said in the order dated 13 August.
According to Bar & Bench, Justice Sharma referred to a message he received on his mobile phone on 13 August. He had shown it to the lawyers involved in the case before stepping away from the case. The contents of the message were not disclosed in court and remain unknown.
The case relates to an appeal filed in 2023 challenging an order admitting a Hyderabad-based company into the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
The appeal was listed before a two-member coram at the NCLAT Chennai and was listed for orders. However, with Justice Sharma’s recusal, the matter is now expected to be placed before the chairperson for the constitution of a fresh coram to hear the case.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
