Supreme Court Deliberates on Impeachment Recommendation for Justice Varma

The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on the challenge posed by Justice Yashwant Varma against an in-house inquiry's recommendation for his impeachment. Despite allegations of procedural flaws in the inquiry, the Court stated that Parliament maintains the authority to independently decide the fate of Justice Varma, currently a judge at the Allahabad High Court.

A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih assessed the plea, which contests the findings of an internal committee led by previous Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. The inquiry followed the discovery of hidden cash at Varma's residence, previously questioned. Kapil Sibal, representing Varma, emphasized that impeachment recommendations should be solely Parliament's prerogative.

While Sibal objected to the procedural conduct and public release of sensitive material, the Court maintained that such actions wouldn't influence Parliament's special committee. Justice Datta described the inquiry report as a preliminary document, suggesting it would not significantly impact future proceedings. The verdict is pending, with expectations for an imminent judgment.

(With inputs from agencies.)