Thiruvananthapuram, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said that he will consult leaders of political parties and examine the rules on the impeachment process against Justice Yashwant Varma after a panel found him guilty in the matter of discovery of cash at his official residence.
Justice Varma has since tendered his resignation as a judge of the Allahabad High Court but his resignation has not yet been notified by the law ministry. His name still figures in the list of judges of the Allahabad High Court. However, in the case of Justice Varma, the resignation letter was sent only after the removal process in Parliament began. Hence, his resignation has not yet been accepted. However, since Justice Varma declined to quit at that time, the then CJI Khanna forwarded the report and the judge’s response on it to the president and the prime minister for removal of the judge.
The probe panel was set up after nearly 200 MPs belonging to different political parties from both ruling and opposition alliances pressed for his removal by Parliament.
A three-member committee constituted by Birla under the Judges Act, in its report submitted in both houses of Parliament in August, said the charges of unexplained cash, disturbing evidence and evasive explanation against him “are proved”. Asked about the resignation letter sent by the Allahabad High Court judge, sources said that when a high court or Supreme Court judge resigns, it is normally considered deemed to be accepted.
