Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla reconstitutes Justice Yashwant Varma probe panel

The move came ahead of the retirement of Madras high court chief justice MM Shrivastava, who is part of the original panel, on March 6. HT on February 9 first reported that the committee had expedited its in-camera proceedings because of Justice Shrivastava’s impending retirement. It reported that if the inquiry was not concluded before his demitting office, the panel would have to be reconstituted.

The new panel comprises Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar, Shree Chandrashekhar, chief justice of the Bombay high court, and senior advocate BV Acharya.

A three-member committee, comprising a Supreme Court judge, a high court chief justice, and a distinguished jurist, is constituted to investigate the charges once a motion seeking the removal of a judge is admitted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act. The committee frames charges, records evidence, and allows the judge to defend himself, including examining and cross-examining witnesses. The motion can then be taken up for consideration and voting in Parliament if the panel finds the judge guilty of misbehaviour or incapacity.