HC sets aside compulsory retirement of lower court judge, imposes 'cost' of Rs 1 lakh on itself

The Calcutta High Court has set aside a punishment of compulsory retirement imposed on a lower court judge by the HC's administration for allegedly overstepping his jurisdiction and has taken the rare action of imposing a "cost" of Rs one lakh on itself.

Directing that the judge be reinstated immediately, a division bench comprising Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Suvra Ghosh ordered that "costs assessed at Rs 1 lakh to be paid by the high court to the appellant."