The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised pointed questions to Justice Yashwant Varma, expressing concerns over his conduct amid a controversy involving the discovery of cash.
The court scrutinized the in-house inquiry panel’s report, which found Justice Varma guilty of misconduct, and sought to invalidate it.
Court Questions Justice Varma’s Approach
The bench, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih, questioned why Justice Varma chose to appear before the inquiry committee instead of challenging the proceedings at that stage. The court emphasized that he should have approached the Supreme Court earlier to contest the panel’s findings.
The bench clarified that if the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has credible material indicating judicial misconduct, he has the authority to inform the President and Prime Minister for further action.
Arguments By Justice Varma’s Counsel
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Justice Varma, argued that the in-house panel’s recommendation for removal is unconstitutional. He warned that allowing such proceedings to stand would establish a dangerous precedent affecting judicial independence.
Court continues to hear the matter as it carefully examines the implications of the inquiry and the proper course of action regarding the judge’s conduct.
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