In a significant development in Parliament, a group of Members of Parliament (MPs), spearheaded by Kapil Sibal, have initiated an impeachment motion against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court. This action comes in response to Justice Yadav’s recent comments perceived as prejudicial against the Muslim community.
The motion, backed by 55 MPs, was officially submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General and is slated for discussion during the current Winter Session. The MPs allege that Justice Yadav’s speech constitutes hate speech and incites communal disharmony, which they claim violates the ethical standards and constitutional duties upheld by the judiciary of India.
Central to the controversy are comments made by Justice Yadav at an event hosted by the legal cell of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing organization. During his speech, Justice Yadav made statements that were seen as targeting the Muslim community, including the use of the derogatory term “kathmullah,” which has sparked widespread condemnation.
Furthermore, the impeachment motion highlights Justice Yadav’s public expression of views on politically sensitive issues such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The MPs argue that such statements breach the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, established in 1997, which mandates judges to refrain from expressing opinions on political matters.
The motion requests that Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar take the necessary steps to forward the impeachment proceedings to the President of India, as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968. This would involve the formation of an inquiry committee to thoroughly investigate the allegations of hate speech, fostering communal discord, and breaching judicial conduct norms.
