New Delhi– AAP leaders Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi have raised serious concerns about a potential judicial conflict of interest involving Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma. The allegations come amid reports that both of Justice Sharma’s children, Ishaan Sharma and Shambhavi Sharma, have been empanelled as lawyers by the Government of India.
Justice Sharma’s Children Work Under SG Tushar Mehta, Raising Judicial Conflict of Interest Concerns
According to Atishi, the two lawyers work under Attorney General Tushar Mehta, who is currently representing the Central Government in a politically sensitive Excise Policy case before Justice Sharma. “The careers of Justice Sharma’s children are directly linked to SG Tushar Mehta, who controls their case assignments, payment, and visibility,” Atishi stated, highlighting what she called an open-and-shut instance of judicial conflict of interest.
Saurabh Bhardwaj, reacting to these revelations, said, “When a judge’s immediate family members are empanelled by the same government that is arguing a case before her, it raises severe questions about impartiality. This is a clear example of judicial conflict of interest that cannot be ignored.”
Another explosive piece by @SauravDassss
In his previous article he showed how Justice Swarnakanta was giving unusually short dates in the Excise Policy revision petition filed by CBI, after the case was thrown out by the trial court.
This investigative piece shows that both… https://t.co/RwPuaoOYmG
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) April 9, 2026
The controversy is compounded by Bhardwaj’s earlier investigative reporting, which noted that Justice Sharma was giving unusually short dates in the Excise Policy revision petition filed by the CBI, after the trial court had thrown the case out. “Such patterns, combined with the professional ties of her children to the Central Government, make it difficult to maintain confidence in judicial impartiality,” Bhardwaj added.
Also read : AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj Raises Alarm Over Judicial Bias in India
Political analysts say these developments may intensify calls for greater transparency and stricter rules to prevent judicial conflict of interest. AAP leaders insist that judicial accountability is essential to maintain public trust in India’s legal system.
With mounting scrutiny, the case is expected to fuel nationwide discussions on potential conflicts arising from judges’ family connections to government lawyers, underscoring the need to uphold independence in the judiciary.