Supreme Court to Hear Justice Yashwant Verma's Petition Against Impeachment Inquiry

The Supreme Court is preparing to hear a petition from Justice Yashwant Verma, who is contesting the impeachment inquiry initiated by the Lok Sabha Speaker. The inquiry stems from allegations regarding bundles of burnt currency notes found at his residence. During the proceedings, the court pointed out significant procedural errors in the impeachment process, raising questions about the formation of the inquiry committee. The case is set for a hearing in January, as Justice Verma argues that the committee's establishment was unconstitutional due to a lack of proper consultation with the Rajya Sabha Chairman. This case has garnered significant attention following a fire incident at his residence that led to the discovery of the burnt cash.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 17, 2025, 20:29 IST

Supreme Court's Involvement in Justice Verma's Case

The Supreme Court is set to review a petition filed by Justice Yashwant Verma of the Allahabad High Court. Justice Verma, who previously served at the Delhi High Court, is contesting the committee formed by the Lok Sabha Speaker to investigate allegations related to bundles of burnt currency notes found at his residence.

During the proceedings, the Supreme Court highlighted significant procedural flaws in the impeachment process. A bench comprising Justices Deepankar Dutta and Augustine George Masih questioned how such a fundamental error could occur despite the presence of numerous legal experts in Parliament. The bench also raised concerns regarding the Lok Sabha Speaker's decision and has issued notices to both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats. The next hearing for this case is scheduled for the first week of January.

On August 12, the Lok Sabha Speaker established a committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act to investigate the unaccounted cash discovered at Justice Verma's residence. This committee includes Supreme Court Justice Arvind Kumar, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court M.M. Shreevastava, and senior advocate B. Vasudev Acharya. Justice Verma contends that the impeachment notices were issued in both houses, yet the committee was formed without consulting the Rajya Sabha Chairman, which he claims is unconstitutional.

Concerns Over Procedural Violations

Challenging the process adopted in forming the inquiry committee, Justice Verma argued that since impeachment notices were issued in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Speaker should have awaited the Rajya Sabha Chairman's approval before proceeding with the committee's formation. He emphasized that when notices are given to both houses on the same date, as in this case, no committee should be constituted until the proposals are accepted by both houses.

Discovery of Burnt Currency Notes

On the night of March 14, a fire broke out at Justice Verma's government residence in Delhi, leading to the discovery of charred cash. The then Chief Justice of India, Sanjeev Khanna, established an internal committee to investigate the incident. This committee recommended Justice Verma's removal from his position, which subsequently led to the proposal for impeachment proceedings in Parliament.