• 19 Jun 2025

Panel Recommends Impeachment Proceedings Against Justice Yashwant Varma

A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee has made a significant recommendation for initiating impeachment proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma (now transferred to the Allahabad High Court). The recommendation stems from the recovery of a substantial amount of burnt currency notes from the outhouse of his Delhi residence, following a fire in March this year.

The committee, comprising three senior judges, examined over 55 witnesses and reviewed CCTV footage, photographs, and other materials. It observed that the Justice’s failure to report the recovery or file a police complaint was highly unusual and serious enough to attract constitutional consequences under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

In its recommendation, the panel said,

“Keeping in view the direct and electronic evidence on record, this Committee is firmly of the view that there is sufficient substance in the allegations raised in the letter of Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India dated 22.03.2025 and the misconduct found proved is serious enough to call for initiation of proceedings for removal of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge of the Allahabad High Court.”

Justice Varma has denied all allegations, terming the incident a conspiracy and asserting that the outhouse was merely a storage space, not under his direct use.

This development raises pertinent concerns about judicial accountability, the threshold for misconduct in public office, and the mechanisms for upholding public confidence in the judiciary.

As members of the Bar, it is imperative we reflect on how such incidents impact the institutional integrity of the judiciary, and the need for procedural safeguards to ensure impartial and transparent handling of allegations involving sitting judges.

#Judiciary #RuleOfLaw #JudicialAccountability #ConstitutionalLaw #Advocacy #LegalEthics