The Supreme Court has proposed the transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court, following a report about cash found at his residence during a fire on March 14. The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who initiated the enquiry into the incident, will be submitting his report to the Chief Justice of India today. The SC Collegium, which met Thursday, was apprised of a video of the incident at Justice Varma's residence and unanimously agreed to transfer him. This development has caused ripples in legal circles and was also brought up in Parliament by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, senior Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve speaks out against the opaque and flawed process of judges appointing judges in India. With the recent discovery of a large sum of cash in the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, the Supreme Court collegium has proposed to transfer him to his parent High Court in Allahabad. Salve argues that more transparency and stricter consequences should be applied to maintain the integrity of the judiciary.
The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, has taken urgent action to transfer Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court after a major controversy erupted over the alleged recovery of a large stash of cash from his official residence. This transfer can only take place after the Centre accepts the collegium's recommendation. Some senior members of the collegium are reportedly pushing for stricter action, including seeking Justice Varma's resignation or launching an in-house inquiry against him. Born in 1969, Justice Varma was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court in 2014 and has been a judge of the Delhi High Court since 2021.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, has recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court due to an adverse report against him. This move is seen as a corrective measure in the wake of reports of unaccounted money at his residence. The decision reflects the Collegium's commitment towards judicial accountability and upholding institutional integrity. The government's approval for the transfer is now awaited.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has taken action against Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Yadav for his alleged anti-Muslim remarks at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event. Khanna has requested a fresh report from the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice on the issue, after the Collegium previously met with Justice Yadav for an explanation. This is seen as a first step in the process to initiate an in-house inquiry for judicial misconduct, based on a previous Supreme Court ruling that sets guidelines for handling such cases.