Government prepares for impeachment move against judge Yashwant Varma: Report
What's the story
The Indian government is reportedly considering introducing an impeachment motion in Parliament against Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma. This comes after a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel indicted him over the discovery of a large amount of burnt cash at his official residence in Delhi. The decision on whether to proceed with the impeachment will be taken during the Monsoon Session, which begins in late July.
Parliamentary procedure
Impeachment motion requires support from both houses
The impeachment motion can be introduced in either the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha, at least 50 members need to sign the motion, while 100 members' support is required in the Lok Sabha. If passed with a two-thirds majority, it would lead to the formation of a probe committee to investigate Judge Varma's conduct, involving a Supreme Court judge, a chief justice of a high court, and an eminent jurist.
Impeachment recommendation
Former CJI recommended impeachment, Varma refused to resign
Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had recommended Judge Varma's impeachment after an in-house inquiry panel indicted him. However, the findings of this panel have not been made public. Despite being urged by CJI Khanna to resign, Judge Varma has denied any connection to the cash discovered at his outhouse and refused to step down.
Political consensus
Government seeks consensus for impeachment motion
The government is also likely to seek consensus from opposition parties before moving ahead with the impeachment motion. PTI quoted a source as saying, "A final decision on the matter will be taken soon. It is difficult to ignore such a visible scandal." If Justice Varma is removed, he will become the first judge of a constitutional court to do so.