Government Initiates Impeachment Proceedings Against Justice Yashwant Varma Over Cash Scandal

Government Initiates Impeachment Proceedings Against Justice Yashwant Varma Over Cash Scandal

Historically, only two impeachment motions have ever been initiated against judges in India.

By RMN News Service
July 3, 2025

New Delhi – The Centre is preparing to initiate proceedings for the removal of Allahabad High Court’s Justice Yashwant Varma, following a controversial incident in March that revealed large sums of unaccounted cash at his official Delhi residence. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Thursday (July 3) that the government would soon begin collecting signatures from Members of Parliament (MPs) across party lines to table an impeachment motion during the upcoming Monsoon Session.

Justice Varma came under intense scrutiny after a fire at his Delhi high court residence led to the discovery of several burnt sacks filled with considerable amounts of cash. This incident prompted his repatriation to his parent cadre in the Allahabad High Court, where he has since not been assigned any judicial work.

Chief Justice’s Recommendation and Bipartisan Support: According to reports, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had recommended Varma’s removal in a letter to the President and Prime Minister on May 4, after an inquiry panel submitted its report. However, this report has not yet been made public.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju indicated that prominent opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the move, highlighting a rare bipartisan agreement on a judicial matter. Rijiju stated that the decision on whether the motion will be brought in the Lok Sabha (requiring 100 MP signatures) or the Rajya Sabha (requiring 50 MP signatures) is yet to be made, but the necessary signatures would be collected once that decision is finalized.

The government aims to table the motion between July 21 and August 21, during the Monsoon Session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju emphasized the government’s desire for a united political front, stating, “This involves corruption in the judiciary. We want all parties to be on board”.

Calls for Judicial Accountability: The issue has also drawn significant attention in parliamentary committee meetings, where MPs have raised pointed questions, particularly why no FIR had been filed over the cash recovery. Some legislators have called for a strict judicial code of conduct, including a five-year “cooling-off” period before judges can accept post-retirement assignments. The Veeraswami vs Union of India judgment, which mandates prior sanction for prosecuting sitting judges under anti-corruption laws, was also cited.

Historical Context of Impeachment Motions: Historically, only two impeachment motions have ever been initiated against judges in India: against Justice V. Ramaswami in 1993 and Justice Soumitra Sen in 2011. Notably, neither of these previous attempts resulted in the removal of the judge. The Centre’s current push against Justice Varma marks what appears to be the third such attempt.