DebraToney89 at 21:11, 24 April 2026

2026-04-24T21:11:00Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian judge (born 1966)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|05|24|df=y}}
| name = Atul Sreedharan
| office = [[Judge]] of [[Allahabad High Court]]
| term_start = 11 November 2025
| appointer = [[Droupadi Murmu]]
| nominator = [[B. R. Gavai]]
| office1 = [[Judge]] of [[Madhya Pradesh High Court]]
| term_start1 = 21 March 2025
| term_end1 = 10 November 2025
| term_start2 = 7 April 2016
| term_end2 = 9 May 2023
| office3 = [[Judge]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court]]
| term_start3 = 10 May 2023
| term_end3 = 20 March 2025
| nominator1 = [[Sanjiv Khanna]]
| nominator2 = [[T. S. Thakur]]
| nominator3 = [[D. Y. Chandrachud]]
| appointer1 = [[Droupadi Murmu]]
| appointer2 = [[Pranab Mukherjee]]
| appointer3 = [[Droupadi Murmu]]
| honorific_prefix = Hon'ble Justice
}}
'''Atul Sreedharan''' (born 24 May 1966) is an Indian judge currently serving in [[Allahabad High Court]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Justice Atul Sreedharan Takes Oath As Judge Of Allahabad High Court|url=https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/allahabad-high-court/justice-atul-sreedharan-oath-judge-allahabad-high-court-309523|website=livelaw.in|date=11 November 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> since November 2025. He also served in the [[Madhya Pradesh High Court]] and [[High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh|Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=HON'BLE JUSTICE SHRI ATUL SHREEDHARAN {{!}} Official Website of e-Committee, Supreme Court of India {{!}} India |url=https://ecommitteesci.gov.in/project/honble-justice-shri-atul-shreedharan/ |access-date=28 March 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life and career ==
Sreedharan was born on 24 May 1966. He was a member of the chamber of Senior Advocate [[Gopal Subramaniam]] in Delhi from 1992 to 1997. From 1997 to December 2000, he practised independently in Delhi. In 2001, he practised in the Indore bench of the [[Madhya Pradesh High Court]]. He also served on the panel of Madhya Pradesh Housing Board between 2002 and 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hon'ble Mr. Justice Atul Sreedharan |url=https://www.allahabadhighcourt.in/service/judgeDetail.jsp?id=425 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=www.allahabadhighcourt.in}}</ref>

He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on 7 April 2016 and was confirmed as a Permanent Judge on 17 March 2018. Sreedharan was transferred as a judge of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 April 2023 |title=Central government notifies transfer of Justice Atul Sreedharan from Madhya Pradesh High Court to J&K and Ladakh High Court |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/central-government-notifies-transfer-of-justice-atul-sreedharan-from-madhya-pradesh-high-court-to-jk-and-ladakh-high-court |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref> in April 2023 on his request, due to his daughter practising law at the Madhya Pradesh High Court.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 March 2023 |title=MP High Court judge and former Gopal Subramanium junior, Justice Atul Sreedharan seeks transfer since daughter set to enter law practice |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/mp-high-court-judge-former-gopal-subramanium-junior-justice-atul-sreedharan-seeks-transfer-daughter-law-practice |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref> He was repatriated to Madhya Pradesh High Court in March 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ashiq |first=Peerzada |date=14 March 2025 |title=Justice Atul Sreedharan transferred from J&K to M.P. High Court |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/justice-atul-sreedharan-transferred-from-jk-to-mp-high-court/article69330935.ece |access-date=28 March 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> He was transferred as Judge of Allahabad High Court and took oath of office on 11 November 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Justice Atul Sreedharan takes oath at Allahabad High Court|url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/justice-atul-sreedharan-takes-oath-at-allahabad-high-court|website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news|date=11 November 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref>

He was superseded by justice [[S. A. Dharmadhikari]], junior to him, for elevation to the post of chief justice of high court when supreme court collegium recommended elevation dharmadhikari as chief justice of [[Madras High Court]] in February 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leaflet |first=The |date=27 February 2026 |title=Collegium recommends Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari as Madras High Court Chief Justice, superseding Justice Atul Sreedharan |url=https://theleaflet.in/leaflet-reports/collegium-recommends-justice-sa-dharmadhikari-as-madras-high-court-chief-justice-superseding-justice-atul-sreedharan |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=The Leaflet |language=en}}</ref>

== Transfer and controversy ==
Supreme Court Collegium in August 2025 recommended his transfer to [[Chhattisgarh High Court]] where he would have been at seniority number 3 and would form part of high court collegium<ref>{{Cite web|title=Collegium recommends transfer of Justice Atul Sreedharan from MP to Chhattisgarh High Court|url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/collegium-recommends-transfer-of-justice-atul-sreedharan-from-mp-to-chhattisgarh-high-court|website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news|date=27 August 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> but this recommendation was modified on the request of central government and he was subsequently transferred to Allahabad High Court where he would be at seniority rank 7 far below from being eligible to be part of collegium.<ref>{{Cite web|title=After Centre's Request, Supreme Court Collegium Modifies Proposal To Transfer Justice Atul Sreedharan|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/after-centres-request-supreme-court-collegium-modifies-proposal-to-transfer-justice-atul-sreedharan-307030|website=livelaw.in|date=15 October 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=At government's request, Justice Sreedharan recommended for transfer to Allahabad HC instead of Chhattisgarh HC|url=https://theleaflet.in/leaflet-reports/at-governments-request-justice-sreedharan-recommended-for-transfer-to-allahabad-hc-instead-of-chhattisgarh-hc|website=The Leaflet|date=15 October 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref>

This acceptance of executive interference in judicial transfer was widely perceived as threat to judicial independence by several former jurists and senior lawyers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/cjar-questions-justice-atul-sreedharans-transfer-to-allahabad-high-court-amid-row-prnt/cid/2129073|title=Lawyers' forum questions Justice Atul Sreedharan's transfer to Allahabad High Court amid row|website=The Telegraph (India)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A tale of a transfer|url=https://www.scobserver.in/journal/a-tale-of-a-transfer-atul-sreedharan-transfer-collegium/|website=Supreme Court Observer|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en-US}}</ref> His frequent transfers (third in one year) is considered as form of punishment for his independence by activists<ref>{{Cite web|title=Impression of Punishment: Activists Urge SC Collegium to Recall Justice Atul Sreedharans Transfer|url=https://m.thewire.in/article/government/cjar-justice-atul-sreedharan-allahabad-high-court-collegium-transfer|website=The Wire|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> as he was repatriated to Madhya Pradesh High Court from Jammu & Kashmir High Court just days before when he was to be appointed as Acting Chief Justice of [[Jammu & Kashmir High Court]] on the retirement of the then chief justice [[Tashi Rabstan]] in April 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Line To Be Next Chief Justice, J&K High Court Judge Who Upheld Liberty, Held Govt Accountable, Is Transferred|url=https://article-14.com/post/in-line-to-be-next-chief-justice-j-k-high-court-judge-who-upheld-liberty-held-govt-accountable-is-transferred-67eb312291f02|website=article-14.com|access-date=2 December 2025}}</ref>

His transfer has raised concerns about the judicial independence<ref>{{Cite news|title=Supreme Court Collegium's shift in Justice Sreedharan's appointment raises concerns over Executive influence in judicial independence|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-collegiums-shift-in-justice-sreedharans-appointment-raises-concerns-over-executive-influence-in-judicial-independence/article70188965.ece|work=The Hindu|date=22 October 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|issn=0971-751X|language=en-IN|first=Krishnadas|last=Rajagopal}}</ref> and the fate of judges who dare to be independent in tense political atmosphere where politics could affect the career prospects of judges as happened in the case of Justice Sreedharan.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Punishment Transfer' Signal, Says CJAR on Justice Sreedharan's Move to Allahabad HC|url=https://lawbeat.in/news-updates/punishment-transfer-signal-says-cjar-on-justice-sreedharans-move-to-allahabad-hc-1535692|website=lawbeat.in|date=24 October 2025|access-date=2 December 2025|language=en|first=Salil|last=Tiwari}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sreedharan, Atul}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Judges of the Madhya Pradesh High Court]]
[[Category:Judges of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian judges]]

{{India-law-bio-stub}}

Atul Sreedharan - Revision history

DebraToney89 at 21:11, 24 April 2026