NEW DELHI, June 6: India’s government is seeking to build consensus among all political parties to move forward with an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, who faces allegations of corruption, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju emphasized that the issue of corruption in the judiciary should not be viewed through a political lens and called for a unified response. “The government wants this to be a collaborative effort. Corruption is not the concern of one political party but a collective fight,” he said.
The impeachment motion is expected to be introduced in Parliament’s Monsoon session, which begins on July 21 and runs through August 12. Rijiju said preliminary discussions with major political parties have already taken place, and outreach to smaller parties is ongoing.
Justice Varma came under scrutiny after a fire at his Delhi residence in March led to the discovery of several charred sacks filled with cash. The judge denied knowledge of the money, but a Supreme Court-appointed in-house committee reportedly indicted him after examining multiple witnesses and his own testimony.
Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is said to have urged Justice Varma to resign, but the judge refused. He was subsequently transferred to the Allahabad High Court, where he has not been assigned any judicial work.
The impeachment proceedings, governed by the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, typically involve the formation of a three-member inquiry committee after a motion is admitted in either the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Rijiju acknowledged that an in-house investigation has already taken place, adding, “We will have to decide how to integrate the inquiry already conducted.”
The Speaker or the Chairman of the respective House will determine where the motion will be introduced, Rijiju added. The Minister said the priority now is to secure cross-party agreement to initiate the motion and ensure its passage. “The matter is under active consideration. We hope to move and pass the impeachment motion in the upcoming session,” Rijiju said.
