Process On To Impeach Justice Yashwant Varma, Report Awaited: Kiren Rijiju

The process to impeach Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma is underway and the government is awaiting the report of a three-member committee set up by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to probe charges against him, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday.

Birla set up the committee on August 12 last year to probe corruption charges against Justice Varma after admitting a multi-party notice for his removal.

Justice Varma was repatriated from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court after burnt wads of currency notes were found at his official residence here on March 14. Asked whether the matter will be taken up before the upcoming Budget session of Parliament beginning Wednesday, Rijiju refused to comment further on the issue.

"As per the procedure, the matter has been referred to the committee constituted by the Speaker with the consent of the House and the process is on," he told reporters.

"While the committee is discharging its duty, we are waiting for the report to come. Before that, I cannot pass any comment," Rijiju said.

The inquiry committee comprises Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and senior Karnataka High Court advocate B V Acharya.

After referring to relevant laws and judgements of the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court chief justice found that the charges against Justice Varma were of serious nature and followed it up with the "in-house procedure".

Officials aware of the procedure to appoint and remove Supreme Court and high court judges pointed out that while defending his case before lawmakers in any House of Parliament, Justice Varma can announce that he is quitting and his verbal statement will be considered as his resignation.

If Justice Varma decides to resign, he will be entitled for pension and other benefits entitled to a retired high court judge. But if he is removed by Parliament, he will be deprived of pension and other benefits, the officials noted.

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