A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench, requesting that the court’s Chief Justice not administer the oath to Justice Yashwant Varma. This legal action follows a controversy involving the recovery of “four to five semi-burnt sacks” of Indian currency notes from Justice Varma’s residence after a fire incident last month.
The PIL, lodged by Vikash Chaturvedi and set to be heard on April 4, highlights an ongoing in-house inquiry ordered by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) into the incident. Justice Varma, who was recently transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court amid the cash recovery scandal, is at the center of this legal and ethical quandary.
Advocate Ashok Pandey, representing the petitioner, pointed out that the CJI had reportedly instructed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court not to assign any judicial duties to Justice Varma during the inquiry. Pandey argued that under these circumstances, proceeding with the oath ceremony would be unjustified.
Additionally, the PIL challenges the validity of the central government’s notification dated March 28, 2025, which ratified the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation for Justice Varma’s transfer to the Allahabad High Court. The petitioner contends that the transfer and subsequent oath-taking should be put on hold until the inquiry is concluded, citing the serious nature of the allegations and the need for a transparent judicial process.
