Impeachment Motion Against High Court Judge Accepted, Probe Panel Formed
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has accepted a motion signed by 146 cross-party MPs to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. The move follows the recovery of unaccounted cash at the judge's Delhi residence. A three-member committee, comprising a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice, and a senior jurist, has been formed to investigate the charges. This initiates a rare and significant constitutional process for the removal of a sitting High Court judge.
Unpacked:
The impeachment motion was triggered by the discovery of bundles of unaccounted, charred cash at Justice Varma’s official Delhi residence during a fire in March. An internal judicial inquiry concluded he had secret or active control over the stash, which was considered credible misconduct warranting removal.
Impeachment begins with a motion signed by at least 100 Lok Sabha or 50 Rajya Sabha MPs. If admitted, a three-member committee investigates the charges. If found guilty, both Houses must pass the motion with a two-thirds majority, after which the President can remove the judge.
The committee comprises Supreme Court Justice Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Maninder Mohan Shrivastava, and senior advocate B.V. Acharya. Their role is to examine evidence, call witnesses, and submit a report to the Lok Sabha Speaker on whether the charges are substantiated.
Impeachment of sitting High Court judges is extremely rare in India. No High Court judge has been removed since independence, making this a historically significant event highlighting judicial accountability and the role of Parliament in overseeing the conduct of the judiciary.