New Delhi, April 15 -- The Delhi high court has said that transferring a case from one judge to another can have a "depressing, demoralising and disconsolate impact" on the judge, and should not be done routinely.

"Such power must be exercised sparingly, cautiously and in exceptional situations," a bench of Justice Manoj Jain said in an April 9 order, made public on Monday. The court was hearing a plea by two accused in a corruption case challenging a trial court's refusal to transfer their case.

The accused argued that the trial court had changed its approach. Initially, arguments were to be heard in phases-starting with the issue of sanction. But after a new presiding officer took charge, the court directed that final arguments be hea...