SC says Delhi HC judge's transfer isn't based on 'rumors'
What's the story
The Supreme Court has responded to rumors of Justice Yashwant Varma's transfer from the Delhi HC.
Speculation was that his reassignment was related to huge cash recovered from his house during a fire.
However, the apex court said the rumors aren't true and the transfer has nothing to do with any internal inquiry into the matter.
Procedure
Transfer process and inquiry details
The Supreme Court cleared the transfer proposal for Justice Varma but emphasized it is independent of any internal inquiry regarding the cash discovery.
The transfer proposal, which has been examined by the Supreme Court Collegium, will be reconsidered based on responses from other judges, Chief Justices of concerned High Courts, and Justice Varma himself.
The report of an internal inquiry initiated by Delhi HC Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya will also be submitted for further action.
Assurance
CJI's assurance on judicial integrity
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna sought to assure fellow judges that Justice Varma's transfer is just the starting point of a larger process.
He made it clear that he would be ready to take more serious steps, if needed, saying that simply transferring Justice Varma wouldn't be the end of the solution.
The CJI said he would act on the report of Delhi HC Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and maintain judicial integrity and institutional credibility at all costs.
Procedure
Guidelines for handling allegations against judges
The SC's 1999 guidelines deal with allegations of misconduct or corruption against judges.
First, the CJI seeks a response from the concerned judge.
If he is not satisfied, he can constitute an inquiry committee consisting of an SC judge and two HC CJs to investigate further.
The findings may lead to parliamentary removal proceedings under Article 124(4) of the Constitution if serious misconduct is found.