Lok Sabha Reconstitutes Inquiry Panel on Justice Varma's Removal

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha reconstituted an inquiry committee to examine Justice Yashwant Varma's removal after allegations of burnt cash were found at his residence. Effective from March 2026, the panel, which now includes Justice Chandrashekhar, will review evidence and submit findings to Parliament.

Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, has reconstituted the inquiry committee tasked with examining the situation surrounding Justice Yashwant Varma's potential removal. The updated panel becomes effective from March 6, 2026, as per an official notification from Parliament.

This committee was initially established last year due to demands for Justice Varma's removal after allegations surfaced involving bundles of burnt cash found at his residence. According to the Lok Sabha notification, the reconstituted committee will include Supreme Court Justice Arvind Kumar, Bombay High Court Chief Justice Chandrashekhar, and Karnataka High Court Senior Advocate B V Acharya.

While Justice Arvind Kumar and B V Acharya were part of the previous committee, Justice Chandrashekhar joins as a new member, replacing Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. The panel will be tasked with examining the allegations and circumstances that prompted Justice Varma's potential removal, reviewing the evidence, and finally submitting their findings as part of the parliamentary procedural process.

The controversy stems from the alleged recovery of unaccounted and partially burnt cash from Justice Varma's official residence while he served as a Delhi High Court judge. Following an internal investigation, then-Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna recommended to the President and Prime Minister that removal procedures should be initiated. Subsequently, a motion to remove Justice Varma was moved in Parliament on July 21, 2025, followed by the formation of an inquiry committee in August 2025 after 146 MPs signed a notice calling for his removal.

(With inputs from agencies.)