LS Speaker Accepts Impeachment Motion Against Justice Varma

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday accepted an impeachment motion against Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, signed by 146 Members of Parliament. The motion, moved under provisions of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, cited allegations of proven misbehaviour or incapacity, the two grounds on which a judge can be removed from office under Indian law.

Following the acceptance of the motion, Birla constituted a three-member inquiry committee to examine the charges. The panel comprised Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Maninder Mohan, and senior advocate B.V. Acharya. The committee was tasked with conducting a detailed investigation and submitting its findings to the Speaker.

Under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, once such a motion is admitted and an inquiry committee is formed, the proposal for removal remains pending until the committee submits its report. Based on its conclusions, Parliament may then take further steps, including debating and voting on the motion, which requires a special majority in both Houses to pass.

Birla said the committee would submit its report at the earliest, after which the prescribed parliamentary process for the possible removal of a judge would follow.

The impeachment motion followed months of controversy surrounding Justice Varma. In March 2025, a fire at his official Delhi residence had led to the discovery of a large quantity of burnt and partially burnt cash, reportedly worth several crores, in a storeroom.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had sought Justice Varma’s written response and, after he denied the allegations, appointed a three-judge in-house panel to investigate. The committee examined witnesses, reviewed CCTV footage, and inspected the premises before concluding that the cash was under the “covert or active control” of Justice Varma or his family.

The panel’s findings, along with photos and videos from the investigation, were uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website. Justice Varma was then transferred to the Allahabad High Court and barred from judicial work.

On the basis of the inquiry report, the Chief Justice forwarded the findings and the judge’s response to the President and Prime Minister, recommending impeachment proceedings. The Supreme Court later dismissed Justice Varma’s challenge to the panel’s report, holding that the in-house procedure was valid and criticising his conduct as failing to inspire confidence. The parliamentary committee will now undertake its own inquiry before the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can vote on the motion for removal.