New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said over 100 MPs have already signed a notice to bring a motion in Parliament for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma, crossing the threshold of support required for tabling the impeachment exercise in the Lok Sabha.
“The signature (exercise) is underway and it has crossed 100 already,” Rijiju told reporters after the all-party meeting, while adding that it is for the Business Advisory Committee, a group of parties which finalises the agenda in their respective Houses, to decide when the motion will be moved.
A motion for the removal of a judge has to be signed by not less than 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 50 in the Rajya Sabha. The motion is likely to be brought in the Lower House.
With Parliament’s Monsoon Session beginning from Monday, the government has made it clear that it will bring the motion during this sitting of Parliament and has been receiving support from different parties, including the opposition, in this move against “corruption in the judiciary”.
“I cannot comment on any business in terms of priority because until the matter is passed by the BAC with the Chair’s approval, it is difficult for me to make an announcement outside,” Rijiju said when asked if the motion may be brought in the first week of the session.
He had earlier told PTI that all political parties are on board with the move to remove Varma.
“Corruption in the judiciary is an extremely sensitive and serious matter because the judiciary is where people get justice. If there is corruption in the judiciary, it is a serious concern for everybody. That is why the motion for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma is to be signed by all the political parties,” he had said.
A big haul of burnt wads of currency was discovered at the outhouse of then-Delhi High Court Justice Varma by emergency service providers following a fire incident on his premises in March. A committee of three high court judges appointed by then Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna had indicted him.
Khanna referred the matter to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommending Varma’s removal after he refused to resign.
Varma, who was subsequently repatriated to the Allahabad High Court and has been kept off judicial work, has protested his innocence and has moved the apex court against the committee’s findings.
