NEW DELHI: The impeachment proceedings initiated against Former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma have ignited a fresh phase of confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha, threatening to further paralyse the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The decision to move against Justice Varma who was immediately transferred to Alahabad HC follows a dramatic episode in the Rajya Sabha recently where Vice President and House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar unexpectedly allowed a resolution supported by the Opposition to be tabled. The resolution, centered on massive unaccounted burnd cash at Justice VVarma’s official residence in Delhi . His controversial remarks in defence has also created further complications and high-profile matter. After he denied the charges about the cash link, the opposition and govt has no options but bring a motion to impeach him without any delay. All such development caught the government off guard and forced a strategic rethink on how to handle the Parliament intervention to remove the judge.
Reacting to the move, the INDIA alliance has accused the BJP of attempting to intimidate the judiciary and manipulate constitutional mechanisms to serve political ends.
Simultaneously, the Opposition is preparing to introduce its own resolution seeking action against Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court. Justice Yadav triggered a major outcry after making what were widely condemned as “communal and undignified” remarks against the Muslim community during a VHP-organized event in Uttar Pradesh earlier this month. The Supreme Court took Suo motu cognizance of the incident, demanding an explanation from the judge and terming his statements a breach of constitutional conduct and dignity.
Legal experts warn that the simultaneous targeting of two sitting High Court judges — one by the ruling party and the other by the Opposition — could plunge Parliament into yet another procedural and political deadlock. “If the resolution against Justice Yadav is disallowed while action proceeds against Justice Varma, it could reinforce the perception of political bias and further deepen the rift,” said a senior legal scholar familiar with parliamentary procedures.
The timing of these developments is particularly sensitive, with discussions set to begin Monday on ‘Operation Sindoor’, a controversial military operation in the Northeast that has already polarized political opinion. The Modi government, wary of a repeat of last week’s disruptions, is reportedly attempting backchannel negotiations to prevent a total legislative breakdown.
Meanwhile, sources in the BJP suggest that the party is divided internally on how far to press the impeachment motion. A section of the leadership is said to be concerned that it might backfire, especially as the opposition sharpens its campaign ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. The INDIA bloc is already positioning the issue as evidence of the Modi government’s “authoritarian instincts” and its growing discomfort with an assertive judiciary.
Parliament watchers are bracing for a tumultuous week ahead, with the possibility of simultaneous resolutions, walkouts, and fierce floor debates. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman will face a delicate balancing act in navigating this highly volatile moment, as the lines between legal accountability and political vendetta blur once again on the floor of Parliament.
