Vadodara: Gujarat High Court Rejects Collector's Apology in Judicial Remarks Row

The Gujarat High Court this week took strong action against Vadodara collector Anil Dhameliya after he filed an affidavit containing remarks targeting a sitting judicial officer. Justice Niral R Mehta called the conduct scandalous, rejected multiple offers of unconditional apology, and directed the state's General Administration Department to propose formal disciplinary steps against the collector.

🗳️ Gujarat HC: How Dare You Allege Against a Judicial Officer

Bar and Bench reported on October 26, 2026, that the Gujarat High Court expressed strong displeasure with Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya following statements he made about a judicial officer in a sworn affidavit. Justice Niral R Mehta presided over the hearing and held the Collector's conduct to be entirely unacceptable. The court rejected Dhameliya's repeated offers of apology, warning that he had crossed the limits with his affidavit. Justice Mehta's oral remarks during the hearing were forceful and addressed directly to the Collector: 'Are you performing your duty in accordance with the dictum of the court? You don't follow any law? Sitting in your AC office and you are alleging against a judicial officer? How dare you?' The court found that the affidavit submitted by Dhameliya contained irrelevant statements and went far beyond acceptable official conduct by making allegations against a serving judicial officer. Rather than accept the apology, the Gujarat High Court gave the state government time to consider what action should be taken against the Collector. Bar and Bench noted that the court's refusal to close the matter on the basis of repeated apologies indicated the seriousness with which Justice Mehta viewed Dhameliya's conduct. The Bar and Bench report indicated that Justice Mehta, in holding the collector accountable, made clear that filing an affidavit in a court proceeding does not give a government official license to make personal remarks against a judicial officer. [2]

🗳️ Court Orders GAD to Explain Disciplinary Steps Against Dhamelia

The Deccan Herald reported from Ahmedabad that the Gujarat High Court came down heavily on Vadodara collector Anil Dhamelia for casting aspersions against a judicial officer in a sworn affidavit. Justice Niral Mehta described the affidavit as scandalous and directed the state's disciplinary authority, the Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department, to respond by the next hearing date with proposed steps for action against Dhamelia. The court categorically rejected his repeated unconditional apologies, stating orally that such apologies would not be accepted and that a departmental inquiry would be initiated. Justice Mehta's address to the collector was direct: 'What are you doing? You are making a statement, aspersions against a judicial officer, saying that he was not considering the matter in true perspective. Are you doing it? Are you following orders of the court?' The judge added: 'You cannot make any statement against any judicial officers like this. Do not dare it even in the future. Keep your bureaucracy up to your collector office.' The court noted it had previously overlooked Dhamelia's pattern of not following laws in handling non-agriculture land permission cases, but said the affidavit had pushed him over the line. Dhamelia appeared before the court virtually to offer his apologies, but the court found his conduct disturbing and scandalous in nature, calling the case a clear instance of overreach by an executive officer. [4]

Sources: [2] Bar and Bench · [4] Deccan Herald