Oppn pushes for HC judge’s removal over hate speech

A section of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is set to renew its demand to impeach controversial Allahabad high court judge, justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav during the monsoon session even as it extends in-principle support to the Centre’s apparent plan to remove HC judge, justice Yashwant Varma, two Opposition leaders said on Monday.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

Fifty-five Opposition MPs gave an impeachment notice against justice Yadav to the Rajya Sabha on December 13, 2024 over his contentious speech during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event lastyear. HT reported last month that the Supreme Court was preparing to initiate an in-house inquiry into justice Yadav’s speech but dropped the plan after receiving a letter from the Rajya Sabha secretariat in March that asserted exclusive jurisdiction over the matter.

The secretariat's letter came after a group of lawmakers from the Opposition submitted an impeachment motion in the Rajya Sabha. But nothing has happened since.

The government has also not given any hint that it supports justice Yadav’s removal. A top-ranking government functionary pointed out that unlike justice Yashwant Varma who is facing corruption allegations, justice Yadav is not accused of any misappropriation of assets and claimed that Yadav apologised to the apex court for his controversial remarks. “We submitted an impeachment motion against justice Shekhar Yadav of Allahabad high court in December 2024. Nothing has happened. We want the government to act on it. The Rajya Sabha Chairman (Jagdeep Dhankhar) is still sitting on it,” Congress Rajya Sabha chief whip Jairam Ramesh told HT.

“55 MPs signed the notice. The government seems busy with the impeachment process of justice Verma. But why is it not acting against justice Yadav?” he asked.