A Parliament panel will discuss a code of conduct for judges and post-retirement roles, amid possible impeachment of justice Yashwant Varma after unaccounted cash was allegedly found at his official residence.
A parliamentary committee is preparing to discuss the establishment of a code of conduct for judges. Concurrently, the government may initiate impeachment proceedings against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, who is currently under investigation for the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence.
The committee will also review the appointments of judges after their retirement.
A notice sent by the committee secretariat informed members of the panel,
“The Committee will hear the Secretary, Department of Justice on the subject ‘Judicial processes and their reform’ concerning issues of Code of Conduct for the judges of higher judiciary and taking up post-retirement assignments by judges,”
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice will address these issues in a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
According to a notice from the committee secretariat, the panel will deliberate on “Judicial Processes and Their Reforms,” concentrating on a code of conduct for judges in the higher judiciary and their roles after retirement.
The committee plans to consult with the Secretary of the Department of Justice regarding these matters.
This Rajya Sabha committee is led by BJP MP Brijlal and includes notable members such as former Chief Justice of India and nominated MP Ranjan Gogoi, former Minister of State for Law P.P. Chaudhary, Trinamool Congress MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Kalyan Banerjee, Congress leader Vivek Tankha, and DMK members P. Wilson and A. Raja.
While Justice Varma may confront impeachment, the opposition has already submitted a notice proposing similar action against Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court due to alleged hate speech.
Following the cash recovery incident, Justice Varma was returned to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court. He has denied the allegations against him.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat is also in the process of verifying the signatures of MPs who signed the impeachment notice against Justice Yadav, with letters already dispatched to these MPs for confirmation.
A fire broke out at Justice Varma’s home on the evening of March 14, during which unaccounted cash was inadvertently found by firefighters.
Also Read: Plea in Allahabad High Court: ‘Withhold Oath of Justice Yashwant Varma’
A video depicting the recovery of the burnt cash was reportedly shared by the Delhi Police Commissioner with the Chief Justice of the High Court.
At the time of the incident, Justice Varma and his wife were traveling in Madhya Pradesh, leaving only their daughter and elderly mother at home. On March 21, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) initiated an internal investigation into the allegations, appointing a three-member committee to carry out the inquiry.