Varma’s impeachment motion never admitted in RS: LS to SC

SOON AFTER THE MOTION WAS PRESENTED IN THE RS, LS GOT A COMMUNICATION, CLAIMING THAT THE SAME WAS ‘DEFECTIVE’

- Abraham Thomas

The motion for the removal of Allahabad high court judge, justice Yashwant Varma, ‘was never admitted in the Rajya Sabha on account of being “defective”, the Lok Sabha speaker's office has told the Supreme Court, marking the latest twist surrounding the sensational case following the discovery of wads of cash in his official residence in Delhi last year.

The top court was examining the plea of justice Varma finding fault with the speaker's decision to unilaterally proceed with the inquiry on August 12, 2025 when a similar motion was also in the works in the Rajya Sabha.

On December 16, the court had sought the response of both Houses of Parliament, being prima facie satisfied about the grounds of challenge raised in the petition.

The response filed by the speaker's office said that soon after the motion was presented in the Rajya Sabha, a communication was sent to the Lok Sabha, claiming that the same was “defective” and was never admitted in the first place. Acting on this information, the LS speaker admitted the motion on August 11 and proceeded under section 3(2) of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 by constituting an inquiry committee headed by a Supreme Court judge.

“At the time when Chairman, Rajya Sabha intimated the House about the motion having been received, neither any scrutiny of motion was done nor any decision about admission of motion by Chairman was taken. No decision to admit the motion was taken by Rajya Sabha Chairman nor any order of admission is passed by him either while intimating the House or thereafter,” stated the response filed by Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh on January 1.