NEW DELHI: As the government has initiated the process for moving an impeachment motion against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma during the Monsoon Session of Parliament next month, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha on Wednesday said that the government must provide the report of the three-member committee on the corruption allegations before moving the House proceedings.
Last week, Tankha wrote a letter to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, requesting to provide the report of the Supreme Court appointed committee that probed the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma. Tankha said that he wouldn’t sign the motion unless the government shared the report with Parliamentarians. The complaint against a judge has to be made through a resolution signed by at least 100 members if moved in Lok Sabha and 50 members if initiated in Rajya Sabha.
“When we submit a motion with our signatures, we have to give those facts leading to the charges. And then you have to say that under Article 124 or whatever article, these charges tantamount to constituting a case against the judge and he deserves to be removed,” he said.
The Congress leader further said that there is a provision under the Judges Inquiry Act when such a motion is submitted to the vice president or the Speaker, he has to apply his mind whether it is authentic and deserves admission .
“There was an in-house inquiry by the Supreme Court. As an informed member of Parliament, I consider that impeaching a judge, whether High Court or Supreme Court, is a very serious motion. I’m not talking of just Congress, all MPs, whoever signs,” said Tankha.