Orissa High Court Quashes Judge’s Compulsory Retirement; Flags Social Media Impact on Judiciary

The Orissa High Court has quashed the compulsory retirement of Sanjaya Kumar Sahoo, a judge who retired in 2022 amid a Bar boycott. 

The Court noted that even judges with clean records face undue pressure from lawyers and social media, making judicial work sensitive.

The Court rejected the State’s claim that a Bar boycott justified his removal, citing the District Bar Association, Dehradun v. Ishwar Shandilya (2023) case, which declared such boycotts illegal.

While setting aside the retirement order, the Court did not reinstate Sahoo but remanded the matter to the Review Committee for fresh consideration