Impeachment Process Against Justice Verma Begins, 215 MPs from Government and Opposition United
Bags filled with bundles of burnt currency notes of 500 rupees were found at Justice Verma's official residence in Lutyens Delhi. The process to remove Justice Yashwant Verma, involved in the cash scandal, has begun.
On 21 July, on the first day of the Monsoon Session, impeachment notices against him were submitted to the presiding officers in both houses of Parliament. These notices have signatures of 215 MPs (152 from Lok Sabha and 63 from Rajya Sabha) from both ruling and opposition parties.
The impeachment proposal has support from MPs of BJP, Congress, TDP, JDU, CPM, and other parties. Notable signatories include Rahul Gandhi, Anurag Thakur, Ravishankar Prasad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Supriya Sule, K.C. Venugopal, and P.P. Chaudhary.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the house about this. This is the first time in independent India that an impeachment proposal has been filed against a sitting High Court judge.
Investigation Committee to be Formed
Parliament will conduct an investigation under Articles 124, 217, and 218. According to Section 31B of the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, when impeachment notices are given on the same day in both houses, a joint committee is formed.
The committee will consist of a senior Supreme Court judge, the current Chief Justice of a High Court, and a distinguished jurist. It will investigate the allegations against Justice Verma and submit its report within three months.
The committee will submit its report to Parliament, which will discuss it in both houses, followed by a vote on the proposal to remove Justice Verma.