Deepam row: I.N.D.I.A. bloc likely to submit impeachment notice against Tamil Nadu judge G R Swaminathan

DMK MPs are reaching out to all MPs from the Opposition bloc and are confident that all parties will support their initiative in the Lok Sabha.

Chennai: MPs belonging to the I.N.D.I.A. bloc are likely to submit an impeachment notice against Justice G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court for his judgement that Karthigai Deepam should be lit atop the Thiruparankundram hills near a dargah. The hill houses three religious structures -- the Subramaniya Swamy temple, Kasi Viswanathan temple, and Sikkander Badusha dargah.

“MPs from Tamil Nadu and elsewhere have signed the petition,” a source told DH, adding that they have already received the support of 100 MPs required to move the petition. The petition, being piloted by the DMK, is to be supported by a majority of I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners, the source added.

DMK MPs reached out to all MPs from the Opposition bloc and are confident that all parties will support their initiative in the Lok Sabha. “The signatures are being collected. We will be able to tell the number of MPs supporting the petition only on Tuesday morning. But we already have 100 signatures,” another source said.

Justice Swaminathan had on December 1 ordered that Karthigai Deepam must be lit on the Deepathoon atop the hills near the dargah instead of the Deepa Mandapam near Uchipillaiyar temple, where the lamp was lighted for over a century.

However, HR&CE officials lit the fire at the Uchipillaiyar temple at 6 pm as per the tradition on December 3, inviting contempt. Justice Swaminathan not merely pulled up the DMK dispensation for breaching his order but also asked CISF personnel guarding the high court premises to accompany the petitioner with 10 people to the hills to help light the lamp.

But the light could not be lit as per the court directions with the Tamil Nadu government not permitting the move citing law and order problems. The government has also moved the Supreme Court against justice Swaminathan’s orders, which was upheld by a two-member bench on December 4.

Opposition parties have been targeting Justice Swaminathan for some time now pointing to a few of his judgments. The judge also came under criticism for initiating contempt proceedings against YouTuber Savukku Shankar and advocate Vanchinathan in the past three years.

In the event of the petition being accepted, a three-member committee will be constituted to investigate. Following the investigation, both houses must pass the motion by a special majority. No judge has been successfully impeached in India.