Impeachment Proceedings Begin Against Justice Yashwant Varma as 195 MPs Sign Motion Over Cash Row

Over 195 MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha back impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma after recovery of semi-burnt cash from his residence; Judge challenges probe in Supreme Court citing lack of fair hearing. Ask ChatGPT

New Delhi: A major judicial controversy has erupted as Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar confirmed the receipt of a notice to initiate impeachment proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma, former judge of the Delhi High Court. The motion, signed by 50 Rajya Sabha MPs, comes after an in-house inquiry committee indicted the judge following the recovery of semi-burnt wads of cash from his residence.

The incident, which allegedly occurred during a fire outbreak on March 14 at the judge’s outhouse, has now led to bipartisan political action. Dhankhar noted in Parliament that the motion meets the required numerical threshold under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, triggering the process to form a statutory committee for Justice Varma’s removal.

Simultaneously, the matter has escalated in the Lok Sabha, where over 145 MPs, including representatives from BJP, Congress, TDP, JD(U), JD(S), Jan Sena Party, AGP, Shiv Sena, LJSP, and CPI(M), submitted a similar resolution to Speaker Om Birla. Prominent signatories include Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, PP Chaudhary, and Supriya Sule.

Congress MP K Suresh stated that INDIA bloc parties have also endorsed the impeachment move, marking rare unity among diverse political groups in a case involving alleged judicial misconduct.

Justice Varma, however, has moved the Supreme Court, challenging the report of the three-member in-house inquiry committee and the recommendation of former CJI Sanjiv Khanna to initiate impeachment. He argued that he was denied a fair opportunity to present his defense and that the committee operated with a pre-determined mindset, lacking solid evidence.

The impeachment motion comes as Parliament’s Monsoon Session kicks off, setting the stage for a politically charged debate on judicial accountability, transparency in the judiciary, and parliamentary oversight of the judiciary.

This is a rare instance of a sitting or former High Court judge facing such coordinated action in both Houses of Parliament, drawing widespread attention on social media and among legal experts.