New Delhi, 08 January (H.S.): The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on Thursday on a petition filed by Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma challenging the committee constituted by the Lok Sabha Speaker to investigate his removal from office.
A bench presided over by Justice Dipankar Datta pronounced the order reserving the verdict.Justice Varma contends that when the motion for his removal was introduced simultaneously in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on July 21, the Judges Inquiry Act mandated formation of a joint committee by both Houses rather than a unilateral committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
His plea asserts that the Act explicitly prohibits committee constitution until both Houses approve the motion, after which Speakers/Chairmen form a joint panel—questioning how the Lok Sabha Speaker proceeded without Rajya Sabha endorsement.
The Supreme Court had ordered a three-member probe panel on March 22 comprising Punjab & Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia, and Karnataka High Court Judge Justice Anu Sivaraman.
The controversy traces to March 14 when, during Justice Varma's Delhi High Court tenure, fire broke out at his residence, leading fire services to recover cash from the premises.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
