Judges panel submits report on impeachment of Justice Varma to LS Speaker

New Delhi: A Judges Inquiry Committee constituted to look into the impeachment notice against Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, formally handed over the report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday.

The three-member parliamentary panel, constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, was formed after the notice was filed with the signatures of 146 members. 

"The Judges Inquiry Committee, investigating allegations concerning Justice Yashwant Varma, submitted its report to the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha Om Birla in Parliament House today. The report, which was presented in  accordance with the statutory requirements under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, will be laid before both Houses of Parliament in due course,” a release from the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

The Committee was constituted by the Speaker on August 12 last year, and had as members Presiding Officer Justice Aravind Kumar of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Senior Advocate of the Karnataka High Court B V Acharya.

The impeachment notice was filed by Opposition MPs after wads of Rs 500 notes were found at his residence after a fire broke out in his house. The Supreme Court then paused his judicial duties. 

Varma filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the Parliamentary panel, which was dismissed by the apex court in January this year. Varma resigned from his office on April 9 this year, a month prior to the submission of the panel’s report.