Supreme Court Dismisses Justice Varma's Petition Amid Ongoing Maharashtra Civic Polls

The Supreme Court has dismissed Justice Yashwant Varma's petition challenging the inquiry committee set up to investigate corruption allegations against him. Meanwhile, the BJP is leading in the ongoing Maharashtra civic polls, with significant victories in major cities. Controversies surrounding the election process have emerged, prompting criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Additionally, the Supreme Court has directed the Telangana Assembly speaker to resolve pending disqualification petitions against defected MLAs. This article provides a comprehensive overview of these significant developments.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 16, 2026, 19:40 IST

Supreme Court's Ruling on Justice Varma's Petition

The Supreme Court has dismissed Justice Yashwant Varma's petition that challenged the legitimacy of the inquiry committee set up by the Lok Sabha speaker to investigate corruption allegations against him. The court concluded that Varma is not entitled to any relief, stating that 'no interference is warranted'.

Allegations of Unaccounted Cash

Unaccounted cash was reportedly found at Varma's official residence in Delhi during a fire incident on March 14, while he was serving as a judge at the Delhi High Court. Varma claimed he was in Bhopal at the time and insisted that the money did not belong to him or his family.

Maharashtra Civic Polls Update

In the ongoing counting of votes for 29 civic bodies in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are showing strong leads in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Nagpur. In Mumbai, the BJP has secured 21 seats, while Eknath Shinde's faction of the Shiv Sena has won 10 seats. Together, they are leading in 119 out of 227 seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, surpassing the halfway mark.

Election Controversies

In Pune, the BJP has claimed victory in 29 seats and is leading in 43 others. Meanwhile, in Nagpur, the BJP is ahead in 84 seats, with Congress trailing at 41. In Thane, the Shinde Sena has won 33 seats, while the BJP has secured five. Notably, Shrikant Pangarkar, an individual implicated in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, won a seat in the Jalna Municipal Corporation as an Independent candidate.

Rahul Gandhi Critiques Election Commission

Following the use of marker pens instead of indelible ink on voters' fingers during the municipal polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the Election Commission, claiming it has eroded public trust in democracy. He labeled the act of vote tampering as 'anti-national'. The State Election Commission has announced an investigation into the quality of the ink used in the markers.

Supreme Court's Directive to Telangana Assembly Speaker

The Supreme Court has granted the Telangana Assembly speaker two weeks to address pending disqualification petitions against MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the ruling Congress party. The speaker has yet to make a decision regarding three of the ten BRS MLAs who switched parties after the 2023 Assembly elections. On November 17, the Supreme Court issued a contempt notice to the speaker for not acting within the required timeframe.