New Delhi, March 28: The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that Justice Yashwant Verma would not be assigned any judicial work when he assumes charge as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court.
“The Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma, when he assumes charge as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court,” read a statement issued by the top court.
Earlier in the day, the Centre issued a notification regarding transfer of Justice Varma, who is embroiled in the controversy surrounding the alleged discovery of a huge pile of burnt cash in the storeroom attached to his bungalow in the national capital after the fire brigade had gone there to douse a blaze on March 14.
“In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, Delhi High Court, to be a Judge of Allahabad High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Allahabad High Court,” said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna, on Monday, recommended that the Centre repatriate Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court. “The Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on 20th and 24th March 2025 has recommended repatriation of Mr Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad,” said a statement uploaded on the website of the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the top court, in a statement, clarified that the proposal for the transfer of Justice Varma, who is the second senior most judge in the Delhi High Court, to his parent High Court i.e. the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, where he will be the ninth in seniority, is “independent and separate from the In-house enquiry procedure”.
Last week, CJI Khanna constituted a 3-member committee to conduct an inquiry against Justice Varma and asked the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court not to assign him any judicial work for the time being.
Thereafter, Delhi HC’s Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya withdrew judicial work from Justice Varma, the second senior-most judge of the Delhi High Court, till further orders. On Thursday, leaders of various bar associations met CJI Khanna and senior judges of the Supreme Court Collegium, demanding the withdrawal of the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court.
IANS