The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, on Tuesday, ruled a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging an impeachment motion against Justice Shekhar Yadav as “not maintainable.” The motion in question was initiated over remarks made by Justice Yadav at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) event last month, which sparked significant controversy.
Presided over by Justices AR Masoodi and Subhash Vidyarthi, the bench concluded that the PIL did not meet the fundamental criteria for initiation, particularly noting that it does not represent a vulnerable section of society, a key requisite for such legal actions. “We do not see that the cause espoused in the present petition relates to any vulnerable section of people. Thus, on the touchstone of maintainability, the present PIL does not qualify the very test of initiation of proceedings on its threshold,” the justices remarked.
The petitioner, Ashok Pandey, had urged the court to direct the Rajya Sabha chairman to halt any further proceedings concerning the impeachment motion, which was brought forth by 55 Members of Parliament. These MPs have called for the impeachment following Justice Yadav’s speech on December 8 at a VHP event in Prayagraj, where he addressed several provocative topics, including the objectives of the uniform civil code—citing its importance for promoting social harmony, gender equality, and secularism.
The aftermath of the event saw the circulation of video clips showing Justice Yadav discussing how laws should align with the majority’s views. These statements drew fierce backlash from various sectors, including opposition leaders who denounced his remarks as potentially incendiary and akin to “hate speech.”
