Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said he is actively working to build consensus among all political parties for initiating an impeachment motion against High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, who faces serious allegations of corruption.
In an interview with ANI, Rijiju clarified that the issue transcends political lines and must be treated with national interest in mind. “This is not a matter for politicking. It concerns corruption in the judiciary, and all parties should take a united stance,” he said, adding that discussions with prominent leaders have already begun and the initial response has been “very positive.”
The controversy stems from allegations of “burnt cash” discovered in a storeroom at Justice Varma’s official residence during his tenure at the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court formed an in-house inquiry committee, which submitted its report on May 3 to the then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. The findings have since been forwarded to both the Prime Minister and the President.
The three-member panel included Justice Sheel Nagu (Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court), Justice GS Sandhawalia (Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Judge, Karnataka High Court).
Despite the ongoing inquiry, Justice Varma was sworn in as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 5, a move that sparked further controversy due to the timing and the nature of the allegations.
Rijiju emphasized the gravity of the issue: “Whether it’s corruption in the judiciary or elsewhere, it must be addressed with utmost seriousness and in the best interests of the nation.”
The discussion around the impeachment motion is expected to be a major highlight of the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled from July 21 to August 12. The session also comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Amid heightened political tensions and growing demands from the Opposition for a special session to address national security concerns, the impeachment proceedings could mark a rare moment of bipartisan agreement in Parliament.
