Who Is Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma? Delhi HC Judge Hearing Kejriwal's Recusal Plea

Delhi High Court Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has come into the spotlight after rejecting petitions seeking her recusal from hearing key proceedings in the Delhi excise policy case involving former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and others.

The matter arose from applications filed by Kejriwal and co-accused, who sought her withdrawal from the case alleging a perceived conflict of interest. They claimed her children are empanelled Central government lawyers who receive “substantial work” through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who has appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency.

Kejriwal, in his submissions, has alleged bias and raised objections over Justice Sharma hearing the matter, including claims of conflict

of interest linked to her family’s professional engagements. The CBI has strongly opposed these claims, calling them baseless and an attempt to undermine judicial process.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also objected to Kejriwal’s filings and urged the court not to entertain pleadings after arguments had been reserved, arguing that such practices are not followed in law.

ALSO READ: ‘Lie Repeated On Social Media Does Not Become Truth’: Justice Sharma’s Reply To Kejriwal | Top Quotes

Who Is Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma?

According to the Delhi High Court website, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has had a long and distinguished judicial career spanning more than three decades in the Indian judiciary.

Born in Delhi, she is a Delhi University graduate and began her legal journey after completing her LLB in 1991, followed by an LLM in 2004. She was appointed a Magistrate at the age of 24 and went on to serve in several key judicial roles over the years, including Sessions Judge and Special Judge in CBI matters.

She has also held senior administrative and judicial posts. In March 2022, she was elevated to the Delhi High Court as a permanent judge.

Justice Sharma is also known for her strong academic profile. As per the Delhi High Court website, she holds a PhD in judicial education, awarded after extensive research on constitutional justice and comparative judicial systems across countries including the UK, USA, Singapore and Canada.

She has also been involved in judicial education and training programmes, both in India and internationally, and has served as a resource person for global legal initiatives.