Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal today called for the impeachment of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, over his controversial remarks at an event organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday.
During a press conference, Sibal stated:
“Main chahunga ki jo satta-paksh ke log hain, woh hamare saath judein aur hum mil kar is judge ke impeachment karein.”
(I would like the ruling party members to join us in impeaching this judge.)
As the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Sibal also appealed to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and MPs from the ruling party to support the impeachment process.
“Hamara samvidhaan kehta hai ki judiciary independent honi chahiye. Mujhe poora vishwas hai ki PM, Home Minister aur satta mein jo MPs hain, woh hamara saath denge. Agar woh saath nahi dete, toh lagega ki woh judge ke saath hain.”
(Our Constitution mandates an independent judiciary. I am confident the PM, Home Minister, and ruling party MPs will support this. If they don’t, it will appear as if they are siding with the judge.)
Criticizing the judge’s actions, Sibal questioned:
“Agar ek HC ka judge aisa bhaashan de sakta hai, toh sawaal yeh uthta hai ki aise log appoint kaise hote hain? Aise logon ko himmat kaise hoti hai aise bayaan dene ki? Aur yeh sab pichle 10 saalon mein hi kyun ho raha hai?”
(If a High Court judge can deliver such a speech, how are such individuals appointed? How do they gain the audacity to make such statements? And why are such incidents happening particularly over the past decade?)
He also referenced the resignation of former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay to contest the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate, drawing parallels to concerns over judicial impartiality.
Sibal further added:
“Main maanta hoon ki Supreme Court ke paas yeh power hai ki aise shaks ko (Justice Yadav) kursi par baithne na de. Jab tak woh wahan hain, unke saamne koi case nahi jaana chahiye.”
(I believe the Supreme Court has the authority to ensure that Justice Yadav is barred from performing judicial duties.)
Meanwhile, the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) has urged the Chief Justice of India to initiate an in-house inquiry against Justice Yadav and suspend his judicial work, citing his remarks as communal and derogatory toward the Muslim community.
In a related development, the Supreme Court has already sought a report from the Allahabad High Court regarding Justice Yadav’s controversial speech.
