India
oi-Swastika Sruti
District & Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who handed down 23 death sentences in 11 cases between April and September 2026, was transferred from a fast track court to the family court at Muzaffarnagar by officials on Sunday.
Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who issued 23 death sentences in 11 cases (April-September 2026), was transferred by the Allahabad High Court from a fast-track court to Muzaffarnagar’s family court, following his questioning of the administrative withdrawal of 97 part-heard cases.
This was done by a decision of the Allahabad High Court. Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar is now serving as Additional Principal Judge of the family court, while Judge Shiv Kumari is taking up the job as the Additional District & Sessions Judge of the fast track court.
This happened following the observation made by Judge Diwakar about the administrative withdrawal of 97 cases, which were partially heard by him in his court.
Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar Awarded 23 Death Sentences In 11 Cases
Diwakar had been holding the position of a fast track court judge for criminal offences. As per the information available in media, during the period of April to September of this year, he handed down 23 death sentences in 11 cases.
Death sentences are one of the harshest punishments that Indian law prescribes and have a proper legal procedure, which includes an approval by the High Court before being executed.
But his record of handing out such death sentences has received much attention after his transfer order was issued. Still, it is not the transfer order that links his decision on death sentences with his transfer.
Judge Questioned Withdrawal Of 97 Part-Heard Criminal Cases
One of the issues raised by Diwakar concerned the withdrawal of 97 part-heard cases from his court through administrative orders issued in August by the then District and Sessions Judge, B K Singh.
The cases reportedly involved murder and other serious offences. A part-heard case is one in which judicial proceedings have already started, with hearings or evidence recorded before the court.
Diwakar questioned whether such cases could be withdrawn through administrative orders after the hearing process had begun, without following the procedure prescribed by law.
The issue brought attention to the distinction between administrative decisions regarding the allocation of cases and the legal procedures that govern the transfer of ongoing proceedings.
NDPS Case Judgment Raised Questions Over Judicial Powers
Diwakar also addressed the issue in a 35-page judgment acquitting an accused in a nearly 10-year-old case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
In the judgment, he questioned whether cases in which hearings had already commenced could be taken away from a court through administrative orders without following the required legal procedure.
He also raised concerns about judicial independence and the extent of administrative authority exercised by district judges.
The observations focused on how ongoing cases should be handled and whether established legal procedures were followed when they were reassigned. The acquittal in the NDPS case was a separate judicial decision from the administrative transfer of cases.
Allahabad High Court Issues New Posting Orders
As per the order of the Allahabad High Court, Diwakar will now hold the post of Additional Principal Judge of the family court of Muzaffarnagar. On the other hand, Shiv Kumari has been appointed to fill the vacant post of Additional District and Sessions Judge of the fast-track court.
The transfer has affected the judicial postings of both the judges. From the available information, it can be understood that the transfer of Diwakar has not been made as a disciplinary action, nor was it directly related to the statements of Diwakar regarding withdrawal of cases.
This case has again brought into focus the issues of judicial administration and transfer of pending criminal cases.
