Supreme Court Justice UU Lalit recuses himself from hearing pleas against Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan

"I have difficulties. As a lawyer I had represented one of the parties. I will pass an order for it to be listed before a Bench without me," Justice Lalit said.

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge UU Lalit on Monday recused himself from hearing pleas seeking action against Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for levelling allegations against the judiciary.

The judge, who leads a three-member bench, withdrew from hearing the case, explaining that he had, as a lawyer, represented some of the parties involved in the case. Justice Lalit is one of the few senior advocates who was directly elevated as Supreme Court judge in the history of the court.

"I have difficulties. As a lawyer I had represented one of the parties. I will pass an order for it to be listed before a Bench without me," Justice Lalit said.

A bench comprising justices Lalit, Vineet Saran and S Ravindra Bhat was to hear three petitions seeking various reliefs against Reddy.

The bench then recorded a short order, requesting Chief Justice of India SA Bobde to list the case before an appropriate Bench.

The pleas alleged that Reddy not only wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) S A Bobde levelling allegations against the judiciary but also held a press conference in which false statements were made.

In an unprecedented move, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister had on October 6 written to the CJI alleging that the Andhra Pradesh high court was being used to "destabilise and topple my democratically elected government".

The three separate petitions were filed by advocates GS Mani, Sunil Kumar Singh and Anti-Corruption Council of India Trust.