Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has formally initiated impeachment proceedings against Justice Yashwant Verma of the Allahabad High Court. The motion, signed by 146 Members of Parliament, calls for his removal from office. The allegations stem from a fire incident at his residence during which bundles of burnt currency notes were reportedly recovered, raising serious concerns over judicial integrity.
Taking a significant step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in the judiciary, Speaker Om Birla accepted the multi-party motion and announced the formation of a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter. The committee has been asked to submit its report at the earliest, upon which the impeachment motion will proceed in Parliament—likely during the upcoming winter session.
Initially, there was complete silence in the Lok Sabha as the Speaker made the announcement regarding the initiation of the impeachment process against Justice Verma. However, the calm did not last long as the opposition soon began protesting over the ongoing voter list revision process, which eventually led to an adjournment of the House proceedings.
Speaker Om Birla informed the House that on July 31, a motion signed by 146 MPs—including former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi—was submitted, demanding the removal of Justice Yashwant Verma. The central allegation is that on March 15 this year, following a fire at his Delhi residence, bundles of burnt currency notes were found, raising serious questions about judicial decorum.