Justice Varma impeachment: Government reaches out to political parties, wants all on board

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju aims to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma for corruption, seeking support from all political parties.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday underlined the government's resolve to take all political parties on board in moving an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, saying corruption in the judiciary cannot be approached through a "political prism".

He said the government wants the exercise aimed at axing Justice Varma, embroiled in a case of alleged corruption and indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed committee, a "collaborative effort".

Mr. Rijiju told reporters that he has already initiated discussions with all political parties to bring the motion in Parliament's Monsoon session, starting from July 21, against the Allahabad High Court judge.

He said the government wants all parties to "jointly" move the motion to remove Justice Varma.

Mr. Rijiju said he will reach out to smaller parties, while all major parties have already been informed about the plan to bring a motion of impeachment against Justice Varma.

"The government feels that the matter related to corruption is not one political party's agenda. It is a stand of all parties to fight against the menace of corruption, whether it is the judiciary or any other space," he said.

The Minister underlined that the government would like to take all political parties on board on the issue, as corruption in the judiciary cannot be approached through a "political prism".