Today, On 28th March, The Centre notified the transfer of Justices Yashwant Varma and Chandra Dhari Singh to the Allahabad High Court. This decision is part of the latest judicial reshuffle, impacting high-ranking judges. While the transfers are officially administrative, they have drawn attention due to recent controversies. The move highlights ongoing changes within the Indian judiciary.
New Delhi: The Central Government announced the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court back to his original position at the Allahabad High Court. This decision followed a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium made on March 24.
The Collegium’s recommendation arose from a significant controversy related to a fire at Justice Varma’s residence, which allegedly resulted in firefighters discovering a substantial amount of cash. Notably, the Collegium held two meetings to discuss the matter one on March 20 and another on March 24.
Also Read: Notable Judgments by Justice Yashwant Varma: Delhi High Court
A fire broke out at Justice Varma’s home on the evening of March 14, during which unaccounted cash was inadvertently found by firefighters. 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.
Additionally, the Supreme Court released a report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court regarding the incident, along with Justice Varma’s response.
Additionally, the Centre approved the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Chandra Dhari Singh from the Delhi High Court back to the Allahabad High Court. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding this decision on Friday.
The Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and including Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant, recommended Justice Singh’s repatriation in November 2024.
The Supreme Court stated,
“The Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on 28th and 29th November 2024 has recommended repatriation of Mr. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to his parent High Court, i.e., the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.”
Despite the recommendation being pending with the Central Government until now, it has now been approved alongside a similar transfer for Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Singh and Justice Varma were initially transferred from the Allahabad High Court to the Delhi High Court in October 2021. Justice Singh completed his law degree at Delhi University in 1993 and enrolled as an advocate the following year. He served as an Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court, primarily practicing in Delhi.
He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court in September 2017 and became a Permanent Judge in September 2019.
Justice Varma was born in 1969 and obtained his LLB degree from Rewa University in Madhya Pradesh. He began his legal career in 1992 when he enrolled as an advocate. Throughout his practice, he served as special counsel for the Allahabad High Court and as the chief standing counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh.
In 2013, he was designated as a Senior Advocate and later appointed as an additional judge of the High Court in October 2014. He became a permanent judge in February 2017. Subsequently, he was transferred to the Delhi High Court, where he took office on October 11, 2021.
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