Impeachment Motion Against Justice Yashwant Varma Gains Traction as Government Collects MPs’ Signatures
Hyderabad, July 12 (Maxim News): In a dramatic development pointing to possible judicial accountability at the highest levels, the Union Government has begun collecting signatures from Members of Parliament (MPs) to initiate an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma. This move follows a controversial fire incident at his Delhi residence earlier this year, which led to the shocking discovery of burnt wads of cash.
According to highly placed sources, signatures from several Lok Sabha MPs have already been secured, signaling that the impeachment motion is likely to be tabled in the Lower House of Parliament during the upcoming monsoon session beginning July 21.
The Controversy: From Fire to Fallout
The issue first came to light in March, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s residence in New Delhi while he was serving as a judge at the Delhi High Court. During firefighting operations, sacks filled with charred currency notes were discovered in an outhouse on the premises.
Subsequently, Justice Varma was repatriated to the Allahabad High Court, and an in-house inquiry led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna was initiated. The probe concluded that Justice Varma and his family had “covert or active control” over the storeroom, where the cash was found, indicating serious judicial misconduct.
Despite the findings, Justice Varma has denied all wrongdoing and has refused to tender his resignation. Following his refusal, the Chief Justice referred the matter to the President and the Prime Minister, paving the way for impeachment proceedings.
Political and Legal Ramifications
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed that the motion for Justice Varma’s removal would be moved in the upcoming Parliament session. He also revealed that the government is actively reaching out to opposition parties to ensure a bipartisan message of unity against corruption within the judiciary.
For an impeachment motion to be introduced, at least 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha or 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha must endorse it. The motion, once admitted, will be followed by a detailed investigation by a judicial committee, and any decision for removal must pass with a two-thirds majority in both Houses.
A Rare Judicial Impeachment in the Making
Judicial impeachments in India are extremely rare. If this motion progresses, it could become a landmark case in judicial accountability, setting a precedent for handling cases of alleged corruption or misconduct involving members of the higher judiciary.
As the political and legal machinery gears up for what could be a historic session, all eyes will be on how the Parliament responds to this unprecedented crisis of credibility within the judicial system.
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