Removal Of Justice Yashwant Varma Must Begin: Om Birla Announces Three Member Committee To Probe

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informed the House that 146 members, including Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and other leaders submitted a notice to move a motion under Section 3 of the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, read with Articles 124(4), 217, and 218 of the Constitution of India.

The motion seeks to present an address to the President of India for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma, currently serving in the Allahabad High Court, for alleged misconduct. Members requested that the House resolve to send this address to the President for necessary action.

Incident Leading to Allegations

The motion refers to an incident involving Justice Yashwant Varma, who served in the Delhi High Court at the time. The incident occurred at 30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi, where a fire broke out. Official records, made public by the Supreme Court of India, linked the fire to the unauthorized possession of the premises. On 15 March 2025, burnt cash, valuables, and debris were removed from the location. The motion cites provisions of the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968 and relevant judicial precedents, including cases from the Supreme Court and various High Courts, to support the charges.

3 Member Committee Formation

The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court treated the complaint against Justice Varma as serious in nature. Following the prescribed in-house procedure, the Chief Justice of India reviewed the incident, Justice Varma’s response, and the Delhi High Court Chief Justice’s comments. After evaluation, the Chief Justice of India recommended an internal inquiry.

A three-member committee was formed, comprising Justice Aravind Kumar (Supreme Court), Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava (Madras High Court), and senior advocate P.V. Acharya (Karnataka High Court). The committee will submit its report before further action is taken on the motion.

Parliamentary Stand Against Corruption

The motion states that moral character and intellectual integrity form the foundation of public trust in the judiciary. It claims that facts in the present case point towards corruption, making the matter suitable for proceedings under Articles 124, 217, and 218 of the Constitution. It urges Parliament to take a united stand against corruption and to uphold a zero-tolerance policy. The motion calls for Justice Yashwant Varma’s removal from office and remains pending until the inquiry committee presents its findings to the President of India. The Speaker confirmed approval to proceed with the next steps in the process.

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