Impeachment Motion Awaits Action Against Controversial Allahabad HC Judge

The Congress party has reiterated the call for action on an impeachment notice against Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav, originally filed in December last year, for allegedly making communal remarks. The notice accused the judge of delivering a provocative speech at a Vishva Hindu Parishad event. Opposition leaders claim his remarks demonstrated bias against minorities and incited communal disharmony.

This push for impeachment received support from 55 opposition MPs, including prominent figures such as Jairam Ramesh, Kapil Sibal, and Digvijaya Singh. These MPs formally submitted the motion to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, citing violation of constitutional principles. They argued that the judge's comments at the public function necessitated legal scrutiny and potential impeachment under the Judges' Inquiry Act, 1968, and the Constitution of India.

Despite the gravity of the accusations, procedural action remains stalled, as the Supreme Court considered but eventually withheld an in-house inquiry following a jurisdictional assertion by the Rajya Sabha. This situation has sparked widespread discussion and criticism from various political quarters, calling into question the processes safeguarding judicial accountability in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)