The Lok Sabha inquiry committee has accelerated hearings in the impeachment-related probe against Justice Yashwant Varma to avoid delay due to an impending retirement of a panel member.
The inquiry concerns allegations of unaccounted cash found at his official residence and is being conducted in camera under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
The three-member inquiry committee set up by the Lok Sabha Speaker to look into serious allegations against Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has sped up its hearings, clearly showing an effort to finish the probe before the retirement of one of its members.
The inquiry is being conducted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and relates to allegations that unaccounted cash was found at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi after a fire broke out in March 2025, when he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court.
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The inquiry committee consists of Justice M.M. Shrivastava, Justice Aravind Kumar, and senior advocate B.V. Acharya. Justice Shrivastava is scheduled to retire on March 6, and this fact has become important in deciding how quickly the committee completes its work.
Justice Varma appeared before the inquiry panel for the first time on January 24, soon after the Supreme Court rejected his plea challenging the start of impeachment proceedings against him. After that, at least two more hearings were held last week.
The committee has shown a clear preference for conducting the hearings on a day-to-day basis. Two more hearing dates have also been fixed for this week, indicating that the panel wants to conclude the process as soon as possible.
The entire inquiry is being held in camera, as required under the law governing the removal of judges. There is a strict bar on lawyers and law officers involved in the matter from speaking to the media or discussing the proceedings outside the committee.
This confidentiality rule is meant to protect the seriousness of the process and avoid public speculation while the legal mechanism runs its full course.
In a detailed judgment delivered on January 16, the Supreme Court allowed the inquiry committee to continue its work. While dismissing Justice Varma’s challenge to the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to form the committee, the court observed that
“constitutional safeguards for judges cannot come at the cost of paralysing the removal process itself.”
The bench also held that Justice Varma had not been able to show any current or unavoidable violation of his fundamental rights at this early stage of the proceedings.
The Supreme Court underlined that the Judges (Inquiry) Act provides “elaborate safeguards” to a judge facing removal. These safeguards include clear framing of charges, a full opportunity to defend oneself, the right to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and a decision by senior constitutional authorities.
According to the court, this legal framework strikes a proper balance between protecting judicial independence and ensuring that serious allegations of misconduct are examined in a fair, effective and credible manner.
The top court also rejected Justice Varma’s argument that impeachment proceedings could not continue after the Rajya Sabha refused to admit a similar removal motion. The court clarified that the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to admit the motion and set up the inquiry committee was independent and valid, regardless of what happened in the Rajya Sabha.
The upcoming retirement of Justice Shrivastava has also been mentioned in other court proceedings recently. On February 4, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant took note that the Madras High Court Chief Justice had “barely a month” left in office while hearing a case related to Tamil Nadu laws that replaced the Governor with the state government in the appointment of vice chancellors.
Taking into account the limited time available, the Chief Justice of India allowed Justice Shrivastava to form a suitable bench to decide the matter quickly.
Seen in this background, the fast-paced hearings before the Lok Sabha inquiry committee appear to be aimed at avoiding a situation where the panel would have to be reconstituted after Justice Shrivastava’s retirement.
If the inquiry is not completed before March 5, the committee would need to be formed again with a new member. Under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, this would mean starting the proceedings afresh, which could lead to major delays.
Justice Varma has strongly challenged the impeachment process that began after the alleged recovery of cash from his official residence following the March 2025 fire. Earlier, a Supreme Court in-house inquiry committee found his explanation unsatisfactory. Based on that finding, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna recommended further action to the Prime Minister and the President.
Following this, notices seeking Justice Varma’s removal were moved in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on July 21, 2025. While the Lok Sabha Speaker admitted the motion on August 12 and constituted the present inquiry committee, the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman refused to admit the motion, stating that it was defective.
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